Clown sightings in Delaware freak out moms, students
The clown threats – or at least the hysteria – has reached Delaware.
Most of the incidents sweeping the country have been vague threats on social media. But they have prompted school lockdowns in Pennsylvania, and there has been at least one confirmed violent episode – the fatal stabbing of a 10th-grader in Reading, Pennsylvania, by someone wearing a clown mask.
Delaware State Police and University of Delaware Police have received reports of clown sightings, according to officials with the departments.
Wilmington mother Cheris Parker said she's concerned for the safety of her children, especially as Halloween draws near. While city police have no reports of clown sightings as of Monday, Parker said she worries how much has actually been reported. It prompted her to talk to her kids about the situation.
In Philadelphia, a girl posting under a fake clown account wrote that she was going to come to a specific school and shoot all the kids and teachers. Both the school and city police took the threat seriously, and the investigation into the fake accounts continues. No arrest has been announced.
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"That really scared me," Parker said. "Philly is nothing but a hop, skip and a jump away from us."
Delaware State Police received word of a clown walking along Bison Road Saturday in the Woodside area south of Camden, said Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, a spokesman. Troopers were dispatched to the scene, but no one was found in the area, he said.
"Obviously, any time there's some spike in similar reports of these types of occurrences, it heightens the awareness of it through people," Fournier said. "We want to make sure we check them out to the fullest extent."
Despite the somewhat silly nature of it, the public should report anything suspicious to police, especially as reports become more serious in some areas.
Campus police at UD posted on Facebook Monday about the clown reports, noting that several tips and phone calls about people dressed as clowns have been received. None of these have been confirmed by police, but the department reminded students to report anything suspicious as soon as they see it.
"Although this may be disturbing to some, it is not illegal to dress up as a clown," the post reads.
It also reminded students of an escort service available to them by calling (302) 831-2222 or by using the LiveSafe app.
Students responded online with concern, frustration and fear over the reported sightings. Some threatened to drop out, while others described a scene out of their worst nightmares.
One girl posted pictures of clowns reportedly taken at UD, adding that she's never leaving her room.
Other police departments in the New Castle County area said they have not received reports of clown sightings or threats.
Some parents expressed their concerns on Facebook, with one saying members of her community don't plan to participate in the spooky holiday.
Meg Ciatola wrote, “A few friends of mine have decided to not give out treats this Halloween due to the ‘clown crisis.’ This is why we can’t have nice things.”
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Other parents stated that they will do whatever it takes to protect their family. Though not everyone believes these clowns are a cause for concern, many fear for their children and their well-being.
Jen Thompson tried to answer people who were writing off the fears and concerns on Facebook.
"People keep asking why do we care about these clown incidents," she wrote. "Yes they are spread by social media. But it's really freaking my kid (an 8th grader) out. They read this crap on Instagram and it's targeting specific schools and they are scared that something will happen. At least my kid is."
Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.