Pasco Sheriff, Schools Issue Warning About Clown Sightings

WUSF | By Daylina Miller

Published September 30, 2016 at 2:34 PM EDT

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office issued an alert Friday afternoon of threatening “clown” sightings in the area.

Reports have come in from all over the country of people dressed up as clowns allegedly threatening and even attacking residents.

The alert was sent out to local media and posted on Facebook:

Over the past few weeks, subjects have been dressing up as clowns. This is a nationwide event and these clowns are associating themselves with "evil, murder, rape, and violent acts". Several sightings of these "clowns" have occurred within Pasco County over the past few days. Sighting have occurred in Hudson, Port Richey, and Holiday. These subjects dressed as clowns are creating profiles on Facebook and requesting juveniles as friends. In one post, a clown requested that a juvenile meet them at a park at night. We want to caution everyone that these types of acts are not being taken as a joke and are being investigated as threats.

*We have extra patrols at Pasco Schools in order to calm students and parents.

If you have any information about incidents like these please contact the Pasco Sheriff's Office tipline at 1-800-706-2488.

Pasco schools also posted on Facebook:

As you may be aware, there is a "Creepy Clown" phenomenon that is sweeping the country. This morning a tweet from the "Ain't Clowning Around" twitter site posted a threat about high schools. We have no reason to believe it is credible or that any of our schools are in danger. However, we are not summarily dismissing it and the sheriff’s office is investigating. To be on the safe side, all Pasco County Schools have been placed on "Alert Campus", which essentially amounts to “See something, say something.” Teachers will continue to teach and all other activities will go on as planned. Thank you for understanding that we are simply erring on the side of caution.

The Largo Police Department also issued a statement about sightings:

I have been receiving multiple calls regarding clown sightings near schools in Largo. Apparently, yesterday (Thursday, Sept 29) there was a report of a clown sighting near a bus stop by Trotter and 134th. This is not Largo Police jurisdiction, and the matter was handled by Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Some reports on social media indicates a clown was seen near Largo High too, it was not.

Today (Friday, Sept 30). Largo Middle School received a report of a clown standing in the woods behind the school. Officers were unable to locate anyone in the area, and have since scoured the woods where the person was reported to be. They found no evidence to support that anyone had been in that section of the wooded area in a long time.

Obviously, there has been national attention on Clown Hoax's at schools and the police department will continue to monitor the situation and be vigilant.

We have also made notifications to surrounding schools, agencies, CSX (as the rail tracks are near the woods), and our public works employees (as they also border the same wooded area).