Have we stepped out of reality and into a horror movie? As Halloween gets closer, more and more people are dressing up as clowns, copying and trying to do better than the most recent sighting or attack. Now, this may seem harmless, but they are chasing, attacking, and in some instances murdering unsuspecting people. It is getting out of hand, these attacks are no laughing matter.

Recent Attacks

There have been an increasing amount of cases of people being chased by clowns with knives and other weapons. It seems they are getting too close and personal; they have hidden in the woods and stalked people's homes/neighborhood. The clowns have been spotted near play parks and apartment complexes too. Some even tried to lure children into the woods. In one case in North Carolina a clown tried to lure children with treats. They also use cash and lasers as bait for children. Not only are they hiding and trying to lure children, but now they are breaking into homes and kidnapping them! A 16 year old was stabbed to death in Pennsylvania for wearing a clown mask. Overall, it's out of hand. These attacks have been occurring since August and police have been increasing patrol since. They have also issued stark warnings against the people terrifying our once safe communities with these attacks. Officers encourage people to photograph the clowns when they see them and to immediately report it to 911. However, they are informing people not to approach them whatsoever. In Winston-Salem another attack was reported outside of an elementary school. People in more than 10 states have reported sightings of these clowns. School officials in Reading, Ohio have closed schools after a man in a clown suit attacked a woman on her porch and threatened the students and faculty in local schools.

What Started Them?

In some instances it has only been a prank and was harmless, but as more people see the harmless pranks, and decide to join in, the more dangerous they get. People are wanting to be more creative than the last clown and it is resulting in horrific attacks and occasionally death. Most people are thinking it is just a temporary interest brought on by the upcoming holiday of Halloween and Hollywood's interest in creepy clowns, let's hope they are right. The cops are calling all of the newer attackers "copycats looking for attention". Some of them seem to be harmless while a growing number of them are real attacks and violent threats. Many of the threats are being made on social media and neither the threats nor the attacks seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Whether it is a clown attacking someone or someone attacking a clown, it needs to stop. Going to the circus to see the clowns used to be fun, not it will be like walking into a nightmare.