Eerie clown sightings in the U.S. and U.K. have left some people terrified, but others unimpressed.
The first of many clown sightings was in Greenville, South Carolina during August. People dressed in clown costumes spook the public by watching them from a distance. Most of these situations have occurred during the nighttime hours. Tons of citizens have reported sightings to their local police.
There has been much speculation for the reasons behind these clown sightings. There have been a few notorious clown killers dating back to 1972. These murders include the Killer Clown, Smiling Shooter, and Kingpin’s Assassin.
The Killer Clown’s real name was John Wayne Gacy and he was sentenced to death row when he was convicted of murdering and raping at least 33 teenage boys and young men from 1972-1978. All other clowns were convicted on similar basis’ as Gacy.
1980, in Boston and Kansas, clowns were reported to be bothering children in schools. Teachers, and Parents especially, were warned to keep an eye out for children and to know where they were at all times. These clown sittings were as frequent as they are today. All reports of clowns at this time were similarly reported, with clowns trying to get children into vans. Only children ages 5-7 had seen the clowns, no adult figures. They called them “Phantom Clowns,” because they were never found.
Of course, it could always have been one big hoax. But the presence of these recent creepy clowns cannot be disputed.
Students at University of Massachusetts had started a “Clown Watch” Twitter page to alert others nearby of sightings. Some of the sightings on the page are reported to be fake. Students at UMass were apparently taking staged videos of clowns.
#IfISeeAClown hashtags have also gone viral, in which people turn the clowns into internet humor. People of Twitter describe what they will do if they come in contact with clowns. The reactions vary from beating the clown up, to running away, and many other humorous antidotes.
Students at Bucks have varying perspectives of the clowns. Some are truly scared and worried about their wellbeing, while others believe it is all one big joke. A few people even believe that it is an advertising stunt.
While everyone has their theories of what inspired the clowns, there is no actual evidence to support any of these claims. All we can do is hope that there won’t be an upcoming performance near us.