Clown sightings have been a thing of controversy these last couple of weeks. As clown sightings have spread across the nation, it has become more and more of a concern to schools, families, and businesses.

“I’m gonna fight back with them, actually I would probably just give a little scream. If it started chasing after me, I’d be quicker than Usain Bolt to get out of there.” Tyler Adamson, an Alliance High School Senior, said after being asked what he would do if a clown were to approach him.

The beginning of this madness started in North Carolina, where a group of clowns was trying to lure children into the woods, by offering them candy. Most of these clowns seen in other areas are duplicates of the originals. Some are harmless, wanting to follow the trend. However, others intend to harm.

AHS Junior, Jaiden Brown, said, “I believe that there are horrible clowns out there for sure. The stories about them would not be there if all the clowns seen were good,” when asked if she thought the sightings were staged or a real problem.

In Georgia, there have been many reports from people seeing the internet’s so called “Creepy Clowns” all over the state. Many of the schools were put on lockdown, after an elementary school received a skeptical call related to “Flomo Klowns.” A disturbing Facebook page for the group that “kills people for a living” said that they were from Flomaton, Georgia.

In North Platte, Nebraska, there has been one clown sighting reported to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. A citizen from North Platte claimed that he saw a man in a clown mask holding a machete, but he was not for sure if the machete was real or fake. Other clown sightings that have been documented either on video, or to police stations. In Nebraska, there have been sightings in Bennington, and on the UNL campus in Lincoln, as well as the streets of the city.

“If a clown were on school property, I would confront the clown and ask what his intention was for being dressed up. It’s not illegal for anyone to dress up in a clown costume, so if somebody wants to dress as one, they have the right to do it. I would do the same for somebody dressed in a Superman costume. I would ask what their reasoning was for their portrayal. I would most likely monitor the area, and follow school policies for an intruder,” Mr. Clear, Alliance High School Principal, stated.

Creepy clowns have been reported in 32 states, from New York, to as far west as Idaho. Some of them are pranksters, trying to get a good laugh out of giving people a small fright. On the other hand, some have intentions to actually harm people. After hearing about all of the people who have been arrested, we know that there are definitely clowns out there with intention to harm. Be careful when coming in contact with a clown, and remember to stay smart!