If you are anywhere in the world right now, you may have been made aware of the Clown Hysteria sweeping the United States. No, we’re not talking about Republican nominee Donald Trump, though we do agree that he is a clown.
We’re talking about the 20 U.S. states that are being plagued by sightings of creepy clowns attempting to lure children and teenagers into wooded areas.
I know. WTF?!
To help you through this crazy time, here is a list of the 11 things that YOU need to know:
ICYMI people dressed as clowns are terrorising US towns. What might have started as a joke, is getting serious. pic.twitter.com/PMhS1AMFaW
— The Guardian (@guardian) October 7, 2016
1. How Did It Start?
The OG Clown horror can be traced back to August 20th this year. Police in the South Carolina town of Greenville received a call from a local parent. They claimed that their son had witnessed:
“clowns in the woods whispering and making strange noises”
2. What States Have Had Sightings?
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
3. Murder
A teenager was stabbed to death during an alleged dispute over his clown mask in Pennsylvania.
4. Arrests
Almost 30 people have been arrested across the United States and Canada in connection with various elements of the clown drama. These include: hoaxes, social media threats, robberies, and stabbings. Some have been charged with felonies.
5. Schools Have Gone On Lockdown
One entire school district had to be shut down due to violent clown-related threats. Four schools have also been forced to go on lockdown due to the same issue.
6. Security Is Key
A huge number of school across the country have had to boost their security as they experience absentee rates as a direct result of said threats.
7. Stephen King
Even the Godfather of clown horror has been forced to tell people to calm the f*** down.
8. Who Is To Blame?
Most of those arrested have been teen using social media to either post clown threats or falsely report clown sightings. None of those arrested or sought in connection with the clowns has been an adult.
9. How Serious Is All This?
The clowns are serious enough for the White House to address the situation. In the video at the end of this article, a press briefing discusses the issue.
In the video, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest is asked about the sightings. Earnest says:
“I don’t know if the President has been briefed on this particular situation,”
However, he does say that local law enforcement official should take the threats…
“…quite seriously… they should carefully and thoroughly review the perceived threats to the safety of the community.”
10. The Impact On Real Clowns
In response to the issue, Snuggles, a professional clown, has started the hashtag campaign #ClownLivesMatter. The movement is dedicated to talking about how:
“clowns are going through bad things and people need to stop doing this because they are messing up not for us actors but for little kids Halloween who wana be clowns.”
They are having a peace walk if you really care:
11. Should You Panic?
Probably not. If you would like to really worry about something then register to vote, at least you can help to control that big ginger threat to our nation.
'Creepy clown' incidents should be taken 'quite seriously' by law enforcement, White House press secretary says. https://t.co/ICVDdDyvjk pic.twitter.com/rALkC8ZCk6
— ABC News (@ABC) October 4, 2016