Some South Carolina clowns are wreaking havoc. For the past weeks, police from the Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg Police Department in northern South Carolina have received several calls from people reporting the same thing – weird looking clowns appearing and quickly disappearing in the woods.
To the question, is a big Hollywood director shooting a movie about creepy clowns in the area? The answer is no. According to authorities, the first clown sighting was on Wednesday.
Captain Art Littlejohn with the Spartanburg Police Department said a woman called 911 to say that she saw a person dressed as a creepy clown standing in her backyard. Before the police could show up, the clown ran away.
She took a picture of the clown and showed it to the officers, who came to investigate the matter – but, it was too blurry, and they were unable to identify the suspect. The person told deputies the clown was shining green laser lights in the woods.
An unnamed person, who resides in the Canaan Pointe Apartments, requested that police look into a clown they had spotted in the area. Donna Arnold contacted the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office to come to the Fleetwood Manor after her son and others kids had claimed they saw clowns behind the basketball court. Arnold said:
“I thought my child was seeing things. And then the next day I had about 30 kids come up to me and say, ‘Did you see the clown in the woods?”
The children stated that they chased the two clowns through the complex, and they broke through a fence to get away. One clown was waiting in a car, and the other two clowns jumped in, and they took off. One clown had a red nose, and the other had red hair, but none had face paint. The one in the car was not described.
The Greenville Police Department stated that they want to solve this clown case as fast as possible because things have gone from bad to worse. Deputies said the clowns were initially seen in wooded areas acting strangely, but as the days went by, they tried to make contact with young children and asked them to join them.
Deputies said the children told them that the clowns tried “to persuade them into the woods further by displaying large amounts of money.” The children claimed that the pranksters lived in an old house behind the apartment complex.
However, the deputies said they found no signs of suspicious activity or clowns in the home. The clowns are also knocking on the doors of homes and speeding off before anyone can see them. Someone also shot at the clowns.
Despite the numerous sightings, investigators said they have no clear photo or video evidence of the suspects. Officer Gilberto Franco with the Greenville Police Department said:
“The biggest obstacle investigators are facing is the lack of detail in the descriptions they are receiving of the clowns, of the three reports my agency is investigating, not enough information was received about the costumes, hair colors, and whether or not the suspects had on masks or painted faces.”
Residents at Fleetwood Manor Apartments received the following letter about the clowns:
“To The Residents of Fleetwood Manor
There has [sic] been several conversation [sic] and a lot of complaints to the office regarding a clown or a person dressed in clown clothing taking children or trying to lure children in the woods. First and foremost at Fleetwood Manor Apartments childrens [sic] safety is a top priority. At no time should a child be alone at night, or walking in the roads or wooded areas at night. Also if a person or persons are seen you are to immediately call the police. Greenville County Police Department is aware of the situation and have been riding [sic] the property daily. Remember there is a 10pm curfew for the property so to ensure your childrens [sic] safety please keep them in the house during night hours and make sure at ALL times children are supervised. Anymore information that becomes regarding this issue will be sent out to all residents.
Thank you,
Property Manager”
Community activist Bruce Wilson said he will take the matter into his hands to make sure children are safe. Wilson shared:
“We have about two to three hundred children out here. I want to make sure that law enforcement is doing the right thing.”
Officer Gilberto Franco with the Greenville Police Department is encouraging parents to be extra cautious until the situation is resolved. Franco explained:
“We want to make sure parents are still remain vigilant and to make sure you keep track of your children playing, don’t leave them playing isolated.”
Kelly Montfort, the owner Over the Top Entertainment, who works with Mr. Twister the clown, has a theory about the clown sightings. She said:
“I believe there is a chance that it could be a big publicity stunt for someone, a haunted house or some sort of production that will be coming in the next few months.”
Some people in the community say that all of this might be harmless.
