Clown chaos comes to Houston
Creepy clowns have been popping up across the U.S. for the past two months. The clowns have tried to lure women and children, chased people with weapons and sent threatening messages online. Approximately 39 states have witnessed a clown hoax/threat. The trend has started spreading to other countries such as Canada, Australia and England.
Clown attacks in the U.S. started in Greenville, S.C., where various reports stated that creepy clowns tried to lure children into the woods by offering them money. When the adults started spotting the clowns, they fired into the woods.
Threats have been made via YouTube and social media. People are going online in clown costumes and making threats stating that clowns are going to “come and get you,” or that they “will come to your school and kill everybody they see” over their social media accounts. Most have been hoaxes, but others have been real threats.
The appearances of “creepy” or “killer” clowns have become so upsetting to the public that work for professional clowns is suffering. Jobs are being canceled and livelihoods affected. Even McDonalds has decided to limit the appearance of ‘Ronald McDonald’ for now.
“Many people crave attention, whether positive or negative,” said UHCL Department Chair of Psychology and Women’s Studies Sharon Hall. “These acts are a form of bullying in that the victims may feel helpless as the act is occurring.”
These types of pranks can have a psychological effect, especially on small children.
“This bullying is a negative behavior that they may later associate with an otherwise pleasant event,” Hall said. “For example, if parents took their children to play at a park [usually enjoyable], and a clown attacked in that setting, the child may never want to visit a park again until a later age when the two can be examined objectively.”
The greater Houston area is a victim of this “creepy clown craze” too. A 14-year-old junior high student from Alvin ISD was arrested for making terrorism threats via his social media account while dressed up as a clown.
“Alvin ISD police, as well as Alvin ISD administrators, have looked into each report and conducted an investigation,” said Daniel Combs assistant superintendent of Alvin Independent School District. “It has been determined that there has not been a credible threat to any of our campuses.”
Dressing up as a clown is not illegal, but terrorizing schools or people is a crime.
“If students are involved in [any threat] via social media or in person, there are serious consequences,” Combs said.
The consequences vary depending on the type of act the student is caught doing.
“If a terroristic threat was made, the consequences could go all the way up to a third-degree felony,” Combs said. “The focus in our district is to provide a safe and supported environment both for our students and our staff.”
With Halloween around the corner, the sales of creepy clown costumes have increased by 300 percent.
“I would avoid dressing up as a clown for Halloween,” said UHCL Interim Chief of Police Allen Hill. “Though you may have good intentions, you could possibly be mistaken as someone else who is dressed up as a clown and scaring people or just robbed a store near where you are. If you are dressed up as a clown trying to scare people, you need to keep in mind that they may defend themselves because they are in fear of you hurting them.”
Hill said UHCL has not received any phone calls nor has he heard of any threats of an individual trying to pull a prank.
“If we do receive a call, we will handle it by investigating and determining if any laws have been broken,” Hill said. “I would not recommend students playing these kinds of pranks; they are not funny and will not be tolerated. Pulling a prank like this could get you in serious trouble or severely injured.”
Hill recommends the following safety tips should anyone come into contact with a clown, or any other person, who appears threatening:
- People should avoid going toward the clown.
- Turn around and go the opposite direction and look for a crowded place.
- Once you get to a safe location, immediately call the UHCL Police at 281-283-2222 and report the incident.
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