Holiday Creepy Clown Scare Was Teen Prank, Deputies Say

HOLIDAY, FL — As “creepy clown” reports continue to come in across the country, one Pasco County teenager found himself getting a stern talking to from a deputy over the weekend.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the agency was asked to respond to the area of Longwood Drive in Holiday on Saturday, Oct. 1 around 2:20 p.m. A woman in that area said she saw a male walking west on Longwood, wearing a clown mask.

As a deputy was talking to the woman, a person walked past that fit the suspect’s description, an email from the sheriff’s office said. The deputy approached what turned out to be a 14-year-old boy and his 15-year-old friend.

See also: Creepy Clown’s Tweet Puts Pasco Schools on Alert Campus Status

The 14-year-old told the deputy he was the person spotted walking down the street in a clown mask, the email said. The teen said he didn’t intend to scare anyone “and was simply wearing it because it was cool.”

The boy admitted to seeing postings on social media about clowns and thought it would be a good idea to wear the mask outside, the email noted. The teen proceeded to take the deputy to his home and show him the mask.

The boy’s mother told the deputy the mask was purchased for Halloween and that he had been told not to wear it outside, the email added. No charges were filed in the case, the sheriff’s office said, but that clown mask was handed over to the teen’s mom.

Patch is not identifying the teen involved due to his age.

“Creepy clown” sightings have been on the rise across the country in recent weeks. Last Friday, Sept. 30, Pasco County Schools put all campuses on alert status following a threat posted to social media.

In a statement released to media early Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said clown sightings have occurred over the past few days primarily in the Hudson, Holiday and Port Richey areas.

“This is a nationwide event and these clowns are associating themselves with “evil, murder, rape, and violent acts,’” an email from the sheriff’s office said. Clowns are creating profiles on Facebook, the agency noted, and are attempting to befriend juveniles.

“In one post, a clown requested that a juvenile meet them at a park at night,” the email said. “We want to caution everyone that these types of acts are not being taken as a joke and are being investigated as threats.”

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office’s tip line at 1-800-706-2488.

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