Clown craze not a threat, says St. Paul police

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Since August, encounters with clowns highly publicized by social media have spread fear across the country, but Sgt. Michael Ernster, public information officer at the St. Paul Police Department, said the public doesn’t need to be afraid.

“The clown craze is social-media driven and unfounded,” Ernster said in an email. “I do not have any facts to say that there is any danger in St. Paul associated with a person dressed as a clown.”

The threat may be more of a viral prank, as Ernster suggests, but St. Thomas students are definitely aware of the frenzy – even if it is just online.

“I’ve mainly seen things on social media about clown sightings in towns,” St. Thomas senior Elise Limper said. “They are just hanging out by railroad tracks or by wooded areas at night time when it’s dark, and I’ve heard some situations about them having like a machete or a weapon.”

Ernster only knew of one report in St. Paul of a clown sighting, which turned out to be a 12- to 14-year-old leaving a Halloween event.

“Due to the social media paranoia, the police were asked to investigate,” Ernster said.

The first clown scare this year was in South Carolina, and according to a local paper there, the Sheriff’s office received two documented reports of clowns appearing in at apartment complexes in Greenville County.
Since then, police across the nation have responded to many calls about clowns which are frequently hoaxes without witnesses or evidence.

As clown sightings took over social media, one video of a clown carrying black balloons in Green Bay, Wisconsin added to the fear. The Milwaukee Record reported that the clown and the video served as promotion for a short horror film called “Gags,” from director Adam Krause and Script 4 Sale Productions.

Despite the scares, Ernster stated it is not illegal to dress as a clown. What is illegal, are certain behaviors, he said.

“If the actions of a person dressed as a clown are used to cause fear, that would start as disorderly conduct and possibly rise to assault if the person acts out aggressively towards anyone causing fear of attack or physical assault,” Ernster said.

Clowns across the country also drew the attention of contemporary horror author Stephen King. One of King’s creations, “It,” features a homicidal clown.

“Hey, guys, time to cool the clown hysteria — most of ’em are good, cheer up the kiddies, make people laugh,” King tweeted.

“I think there’s so much unknown about it and that’s what makes it scary – because you don’t know is this person just trying to be funny or is this specific clown trying to hurt somebody or do something,” said senior Emily Coon, “I think that’s what makes it frightening.”

“If anyone ever feels threatened or harassed by anyone, dressed as a clown or not, they should call the police and report it,” Ernster said.

Emily Sweeney can be reached at swee4225@stthomas.edu