In August 2016 police reports were filed in Greenville, South Carolina regarding clowns lurking in the woods on the outskirts of town.

Following the South Carolina clown incident, a series of clown sightings sprung up across the nation.

Many of these sightings involved copycat pranksters.

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Sightings ^[8]

In Alabama in late September 2016, two high school students were arrested for making a clown video that threatened violence.

As of October 2016 nine clown-related arrests were made in Alabama, including seven felony charges.

Schools in Mesa, Arizona were on high alert after threatening messages from a clown on a social media account named “Ain’t Clowning Around.”

The account threatened to go to high schools on Friday, September 30, 2016 and kidnap students or kill teachers.

Police in Phoenix arrested three teenagers for making similar threats.

Two teens were also arrested in Phoenix after robbing a Taco Bell and Domino’s while wearing clown masks.

A man was arrested for driving in Poinsett County in a clown mask and harassing a store clerk.

In White Hall, Arkansas, a police officer was suspended for two days without pay after dressing in a clown suit for a party at his parent’s home and posting the photo on social media.

The photo was posted a couple days after clown sightings were reported to the department.

On October 4, 2016 clowns threatened the Sacramento, Vallejo, and Fairfield public schools.

On October 5, 2016 residents in Los Angeles County reported seeing people wearing clown masks, possibly carrying kitchen knives.

In San Pedro, two clowns were reported by Taper Avenue Elementary employees.

In October 2016 threats were made to a high school in Marysville, California.

The posts were made on Instagram by an account called “mozzytheclown.”

Police later arrested a juvenile in connection with the posts and threats.

On September 28 a threatening Facebook message that included a clown’s photo was sent to a local high school in Fort Collins.

On October 3, 2016 hundreds of students armed themselves with hockey sticks and golf clubs as they went on a “hunt” for clowns.

That night, the police got up to thirty 911 calls about clown sightings on campus.

Police did not find any clowns.

In Victoria Park, Florida a sighting was reported wherein two people dressed as clowns were staring a woman down.

A clown was also spotted near Georgetown Apartments in Gainesville.

In Pasco County school officials said they were aware of an Ain’t Clowning Around Twitter site that posted threats to their high schools.

In Georgia, LaGrange police said they got multiple reports of children saying clowns were trying to lure them into wooded areas.

A middle school was put on a soft lockdown because of clown reports.

In mid-September of 2016, two people were arrested for making false clown claims.

Four people were later arrested for making clown threats, 11 Alive reported.

In Athens, Georgia, an 11-year-old girl was so scared of clown reports that she took a knife with her to school for protection.

She was arrested for carrying the knife.

Due to the myriad of clown sighting reported, Nampa Police Department posted on Facebook that “the large number of Nampa residents who are out looking for clowns is making this more difficult to deal with.”

Idaho Statesman reported that several residents called the police about seeing people dressed as clowns, including one carrying a machete.

In Wendell, a teen said they received an anonymous text that a clown was coming to their school.

The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release about several students getting harassed similarly on Facebook.

A man dressed in a clown costume approached a resident’s daughter and friend while they were sitting on their porch in Effingham and shined a flashlight on them.

The same clown was spotted later again at a vacant home nearby.

No one was arrested.

Students at Greenville Elementary School reported seeing three clowns.

They said one carried a briefcase, one had a knife, and one had a gun.

In late September, a bus driver called police after finding out that a clown was scaring kids at a Fort Wayne bus stop.

Clown sightings were reported at a number of universities, including Purdue University, Indiana University, and Indiana State University.

A child reported seeing a clown in the bushes near 85th and Parallel Parkway in Kansas City.

In Kentucky, police arrested a man dressed as a clown who was hiding in trees by an apartment complex.

The man arrested was a 20-year-old in Bell County who was walking in a wooded area near apartments at around 2 a.m.

In Gallatin County, Kentucky, extra security was assigned to schools after two people posted threatening messages on Facebook that included creepy clown profile pictures.

In Winchester, Kentucky, a woman told police that she was walking on a trail the night of Friday, September 30, when she was assaulted by a man wearing a clown mask.

In Louisiana two individuals wearing clown masks entered Matherne’s Supermarket in Paulina but left shortly thereafter.

A person wearing a clown mask was reported hanging out near an apartment complex in Orono for hours.

Other sightings were reported in Kennebunk, Standish at Saint Joseph’s College, and Wells.

Residents in Salisbury reported three people dressed as clowns hiding and jumping out of bushes, trying to scare people.

Merrimack College in Massachusetts went on lockdown in September 2016 because of a clown scare.

A clown was “prowling a neighborhood” in Big Rapids late at night in September 2016.

A caller said the clown was wearing a blue costume, had red-pink hair, and was just staring at people before running into a wooded area.

In August 2016, an 18-year-old called police and reported three clowns near the woods by Walmart.

Another sighting was reported in Clinton Township; a clown was seen waving outside a car wash.

Police determined the clown wasn’t doing any criminal acts, just waving.

Two clown attacks were reported in Sterling Heights: a seven-year-old said his arm was scratched by a clown with red hair and a red nose who was carrying a sharp object.

In another incident, two women reported that three males wearing clown masks yelled profanity at them, hit a bat against a fence, and ran away.

On October 4, 2016, a person wearing a clown mask and carrying a handgun robbed three businesses: two in Ann Arbor and one in Brownstown Township.

In Cole County and Jefferson County multiple people called in to report clown sightings.

A man dressed in a multi-colored wig, a mask, and overalls was seen carrying a machete in Mississippi.

A driver in Rankin County reported that a clown sighting caused a wreck on Highway 469.

In Grand Island clowns were reported south of downtown with knives.

In a separate incident four teens dressed as clowns were reported to authorities.

One teen was carrying a BB gun.

On Sunday, police cited four teens dressed as clowns, including one carrying a BB gun.

A woman in Nebraska also reported a clown banging on her back door and window.

In Sparks, Nevada Alex Ruelas stated that he and his friends saw a clown in the Shadow Mountain parking lot, holding what looked like a machete.

A clown-related Facebook profile also threatened El Dorado, Canyon Springs, Legacy, and Las Vegas high schools.

A boy said he was chased into the woods by three clowns in Walters Park in New Jersey, but police couldn’t find the suspects.

Three additional sightings were reported in Warren County.

A child said he was chased down Shafer Avenue by a jester holding a sword.

A resident reported seeing a truck with several clowns driving down Mercer.

Clowns have also been reported in Bound Brook, Monroe, North Plainfield, and Spotswood.

In New Mexico clown sightings were reported in Roswell, Alamogordo, and Hobbs.

Police in Long Island, New York sent out warnings on Friday, September 30, 2016 about clown sightings from the previous week.

One person reported that people dressed as clowns were jumping in front of cars.

North Babylon High School was put on a lock out in late September 2016 after an unknown person made clown-related threats on social media.

Sightings were reported near Utica College.

On September 29, 2016 callers told police that two clowns approached people in Pixley Park carrying what appeared to be baseball bats and knives.

Herkimer police also received calls about clowns.

One sighting was at a K-Mart on Washington Street.

A second sighting was on September 28, 2016 a few blocks away.

The person dressed as a clown was reported to be wearing “creepy killer clown attire” but only made eye contact.

In Syracuse, a 10-year-old boy told police three men in clown costumes approached him and he hid between two houses from them, until he had a chance to flee.

In Amsterdam, middle school students said a clown chased them down several streets.

Children in North Carolina reported in early September 2016 that a clown tried to lure them into the woods.

He had red shoes, red hair, a white face, and a red nose.

He offered them treats.

In early September, police started doing extra patrols in Winston-Salem after two children said a clown was trying to lure kids into the woods with treats.

The clown was wearing white overalls, red shoes, red hair, and a red nose.

The police couldn’t find the suspect.

On September 29, 2016 a woman reported that she was attacked by a man dressed as a clown, who then threatened students at the Reading Community School District.

Mount Notre Dame High School was also closed because it shares a parking lot with Reading High School.

During the first weekend of October 2016, more arrests were made connected to clowns.

Montgomery police charged five students with inciting panic connected to clowns.

In Fairborn, police arrested a 15-year-old boy for making terroristic threats when he created a clown persona on Facebook and used it to send death threats to students in Fairborn.

On October 4, 2016, a Speedway gas station in Dayton was robbed by three people, one of whom was wearing a clown mask.

The other two were wearing a surgical mask and a Guy Fieri mask.

Oklahoma State University students called campus police about seeing a clown walking around the dorms.

Sightings have also been reported in Moore, Oklahoma City, McAlester, Tulsa, Chickasha, and Miami.

In Moore, residents confronted two people wearing clown costumes one night who were loitering in a playground.

Residents said one clown ran but the other listened to the residents talking to him about the ramifications of what he was doing, came around to their viewpoint and removed his costume.

An employee of Central Oregon Eyecare reported seeing someone dressed as a clown around 10:30 p.m. near Southwest Indian Avenue and 11th street in Redmond.

The employee said they were wearing a clown mask and blue pants.

She asked for a police escort to her car because she was scared.

Another clown was reported in Portland, Oregon.

A woman shopping near O’Bryant Square around noon on Friday, September 30, 2016 said a man wearing a silver clown mask and black clothes came up to her car and started banging on the driver’s side window.

He tried to open all the doors and she sped away.

A 55-year-old was arrested for wearing a clown mask and taunting students at Floyd Light Middle school.

PennLive reported that a high school student was stabbed and killed after getting in a fight with someone wearing a clown mask.

York College students reported seeing students on and off campus dressed as clown in late September 2016, including a car full of people dressed as clowns and possibly carrying weapons.

Philadelphia received threats toward Philadelphia school students.

The threats read: “We coming to all north east charter high schools…we will be after your let out on Wednesday” and “the gang is in philly … ya’ll ain’t safe.

it’s 12 of us yaheard [sic].”

Clowns were also reportedly sighted in Philadelphia on Sunday at Boyle Park.

The clowns, residents said, chased kids but ran away from the parents.

Clown sightings also infiltrated Pennsylvania State University.

A social media threat was made against two Pawtucket, Rhode Island schools.

Clowns chased an individual out of Slater Park three different times.

Residents reported a white man in clown makeup and red hair staring a woman down at a laundromat.

Children reported clowns trying to lure them into the woods.

In early September 2016, police started doing extra patrols in Winston-Salem after two children said a clown was trying to lure kids into the woods with treats.

The clown was wearing white overalls, red shoes, red hair, and a red nose.

Police also said a number of clowns were reported in Greenville County hiding near apartment complexes and knocking on doors.

One apartment complex even sent a letter out to residents warning them.

On September 28, two men — one dressed in a clown mask — robbed a Memphis bank after carrying explosives inside.

In Corpus Christi, someone posted a clown photo on social media and said they would visit 10 campuses.

DFW Scanner issued an update on Facebook about clown sightings.

Fort Worth police reported that a person saw a clown running on a sidewalk in a residential area and twelve more sighting were subsequently reported.

In Southlake, there were multiple clown sightings reported.

In Austin, Texas, social media threats were made against several schools including Reagan and Travis Early College High Schools and Martin Middle School.

On October 2016 A woman reported that she was attacked by a clown around 7 p.m. outside Bobcat Village Apartments at Texas State University.

In Provo, Utah, a woman submitted a report to police stating that a man dressed as a clown ran across her yard around midnight.

In Williston, Vermont, a 15-year-old was arrested after banging on classroom windows while wearing a clown mask.

Clowns were spotted in seven places in Chesterfield County.

In one incident, a man tried to open a driver’s car door on Old Warson Drive, with another person dressed as a clown standing behind him.

On Marina Drive, a person reported seeing someone wearing a clown suit while holding a knife.

In Petersburg, a woman reported seeing two clowns in a car, driving erratically.

At a stop light, one got out and started approaching her car.

Three clowns were reported driving around Knight Drive, entering back yards and knocking on windows.

Clowns were also spotted in Washington County, Virginia.

The county’s first sighting was Monday night, October 3, 2016 on Conner Lane near High Point Elementary around 8 p.m. A brother and sister told police they saw a clown dressed in black with a red nose and purple hair.

In Hampton, Virginia, a 13-year-old girl was arrested after asking a clown on social media to kill her teacher.

Students in Puyallup’s Rogers High School received texts on October 3, 2016 from a clown who threatened to kill students at the school.

The next day, a person told police a clown was seen near campus carrying a knife and the school was put on lockdown.

Two clown masks were found near the school.

Two other schools in Washington — Emerald Ridge High School and Glacier View Junior High — were also closed on October 4.