Teen Faces Disorderly Conduct Charge for Clown-Related Social Media Post

Of the multiple occurrences of reported clown sightings and "threats" involving clowns, none of the cases have amounted to actual threats.

No Bozos (please) Image: Twitter

(GRESHAM, Ore.) - A juvenile male in the Centennial School District is facing a first degree Disorderly Conduct charge because of a social media post he made last night, claiming "killer clowns" were coming to two of Centennial's schools today to hurt students.

The student, identified during an extensive police investigation, posted the threat online after seeing similar things being talked about on media sites.

Police found the young man's threat non-credible and believe he had no intention of actually hurting anyone. Officers worked closely with school officials throughout the investigation.

"Sometimes poor decisions, even when done in jest, have serious consequences," said Detective Adam Wright, who along with four other Gresham officers investigated multiple calls related to the post.

"The perpetuation of threats, even when untrue, can unlawfully disrupt peoples' lives and can lead to arrest."

Gresham Police are aware of multiple occurrences of reported clown sightings and "threats" involving clowns in East County.

Officers have found that the vast majority are urban legend-type instances, largely misinformation being rapidly passed on by people using social media.

A small portion of incidents have included officers contacting youths wearing masks. None of the cases have amounted to actual threats.

Police advise that they do not need to be notified of someone simply wearing a mask or dressing like a clown. With Halloween only three weeks away, in combination with all of the recent hype about clowns, the public can expect to see more people wearing masks and other costumes.

If a situation amounts to a greater public safety concern, people are asked to call nonemergency (503-823-3333) or 911 accordingly. Officers work closely with all Gresham area schools to investigate on-campus concerns to help ensure the safety of all students.

Source: Gresham Police Dept