A 22-year-old Alabama woman has been charged with a terrorist offence after posing as a creepy clown online and making violent threats against students at a high school.
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But Irondale police officer James Lewis said “there was no threat” and they were just being precautious. The Facebook page, which was titled Flomo Klowns, was taken offline, but not before the sinister messages were reported to authorities, reports TIME.
Lewis says the soft lockdown is a precaution only, and there is no disruption to classes.
The incident happened on September 15, when a group who called themselves the “Flomo Klowns”, sparked panic by threatening pupils at two local schools. Knott said they need to get the message out to their students to not engage with groups like this on Facebook, saying that threats received by students in recent weeks will not be taken lightly.
Creepy clowns strike again or did they? The 300 elementary students and 400 high school students were locked inside while police searched the area and made sure that the Cotton State school grounds and surrounding areas were secure.
Makayla Smith, allegedly the clowns’ ringleader, will likely be charged with making a terroristic threat, report the Flomaton police.
Nationwide, there have been clown sightings in multiple states. “School resource officers have identified several suspects that were making the posts and an investigation is now ongoing”. “Alabama and we will ask that all involved parties be punished to the full extent of the law”, the local sheriff’s office said in a statement following Smith’s arrest on Friday.
In South Carolina, for instance, clowns were reportedly using cash to try to lure children into the woods. Police say that the lockdown gave authorities their first victory in what they have donned “Clownpocalypse”. Irondale police Det. Sgt. Michael Mangina told AL.com, “In today’s climate, we’re better safe than sorry”.
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Officials have not released information regarding how Smith may be tied to the Facebook page or what charges she might face.
