With widespread clown concerns sweeping the nation, Florida parents are arming themselves while they and their children go trick-or-treating.
Kimberly Kersey told Florida Today that she intents to carry a gun while she and her two children go trick-or treating in case a creepy clown makes a threat against them.
“I’ll be carrying for sure, I’m not leaving to chance,” she said. “I’m terrified of clowns already and if one messes with me or my kids it’ll be to the hospital or morgue they go.”
Last week, two men were arrested for making threats towards people while dressed as clowns, while wielding bats, sticks or axes, Florida Today reported.
There have been numerous sightings in the past week of clowns. Clarissa Lancaster posted a picture on Facebook of a clown peeking into the window of her home.
“I pretended I was still texting and took the pic, didn’t let clown know I was taking his pic,” she told Florida Today. “When I get scared I get quiet, I don’t scream. I’m not afraid of clowns either, but someone looking in my house creeps me out.”
These appearances are a cause for concern amongst parents who want to see ensure their child’s safety.
“Since I have no gun, I will be carrying a bat around on Halloween night,” said Pam Metz of Titusville.
The amount of police patrols will be increased for Halloween, but that isn’t something new for the police force as it is a standard for them every year due to the nature of Halloween. Some law enforcement officials have urged people to not dress up as a clown for Halloween so that they may not endanger themselves.
The problem is that someone dressed like a clown could scare someone and there’s a possibility, a possibility you could end up with someone getting shot,”Palm Bay Police Lt. Mike Bandish said. “A person could think that they’re about to get robbed.”
In Broward County, a school district banned clown costumes from being worn, according to the Sun Sentinel.
“While many of the clown threats in our community and across the nation have proven to be hoaxes, it is still best for us to continue to operate in an abundance of caution,” a phone call to parents said.
Clown sightings have been on the rise in the past several months with several videos and pictures making waves across the internet of people dressed up in clown costumes scaring people and making threats. Many schools and towns have taken action to deal with the issue.
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