Getty ImagesChances are you've heard of the creepy clown epidemic that's taking over the nation. Since the summer there have been numerous reports and documented incidents of scary clown sightings everywhere from the coast to across the sea. Not everyone is scared of clowns, but when they're walking on dirt roads, jumping out of fields and carrying knives, it's quite a different story. That's exactly what's been happening, and people don't know what to make of it. Many people have actually been attacked upon being approached, and some have even fought the clowns. We put together a handy list of all the things you need to know about the clown craziness. There's even a video of one incident which we don't recommend watching if you're easily spooked by these circus freaks. Hopefully, none of you end up spotting one of the clown's, but if you do, you know what to expect.
Clown Sighting in California #Knife pic.twitter.com/MfnGWKy6Ig
— Clown Sightings (@ClownsSightings) October 4, 2016
The madness appears to have started in Greenville, South Carolina around August of this year. This probably means we can't really just pass it off as just a Halloween prank since it's been going on for months. At first, it didn't appear that these sightings were being taken seriously, as CNN notes that didn't happen until reports of clowns luring kids into the woods started taking place. At the time, there was no footage or any photos to prove these claims, and police officers didn't find any sign of them either. The clown that tried to get a group of kids to come into the woods was originally seen lurking around the Fleetwood Manor Apartments with a painted white face. NOPE! The apartment complex ended up writing and distributing a letter to its tenants, warning them of the clown sighting.
Pretty soon, these sightings started sprouting up around the states. There's even a Twitter account dedicated to tracking these clowns called @ClownSightings. Trust us, even if you weren't originally scared of clowns, you will be now. In many of the videos, a group of people will be driving or walking and to their surprise, a clown will pop up on their route, standing in the middle of a road or field. There are videos upon videos of these lone clowns running towards people's cars or chasing pedestrians; some even holding weapons. No, thank you.
The craziness has gotten so out of control, some schools have banned clown costumes for Halloween, Forbes notes. It may seem extreme, but better safe than sorry!
The epidemic was even brought up during a press briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, according to a press release from The White House Office of the Press Secretary. When asked if President Obama was aware of the creepy clown sightings, Earnest replied, " I don't know that the President has been briefed on this particular situation. This is something that I've read about in some of the news coverage. Obviously, this is a situation that local law enforcement authorities take quite seriously, and they should carefully and thoroughly review perceived threats to the safety of the community, and they should do so prudently." Serious stuff!
In hella creepy news, a Clown Lives Matter protest was scheduled to take place in TucsonTuscon, Arizona. The October 15 event was created for the purpose of showing the public that not all clowns are creeps. ABC 15 Arizona noted the flyer for the event stated, "This is a peaceful way to show clowns are not psycho killers. We want the public to feel safe, and not be afraid. So come out, bring the family, meet a clown and get a hug!" Yeah, no. If you live in the area, you no longer have to worry. The scary-looking gathering was canceled after "numerous death threats and harassment" surfaced, explained the event organizer in a Facebook post.
Unfortunately, the epidemic has spread across the globe since getting its start in the states. In an incident in Wales, some bozo (pun intended) thought it would be a good idea to stand outside of a school and freak out kids. Needless to say, the BBC says that he got fined and that it will show up on the 18-year-old's criminal record. Karma.
The latest clown news is actually pretty crazy. Things have gotten so out of control, McDonald's is keeping Ronald McDonald in hiding for a little while. In a statement to the AP on Tuesday, McDonald's said they are being "thoughtful in respect to Ronald McDonald's participation in community events" due to the "current climate around clown sightings in communities."
Be safe out there, friends!