The recent “creepy clown” threat that is sweeping parts of the country has landed a middle school student in jail. Police stated that Bradley Prescott, 12, has been charged as an adult for a threat he made on social media using the app Musical.ly. The threat reads “Hello I am going to kill kids at SEVEN SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL on Friday the 7th of October 2016 GET READY 6th graders for your worst day and your last!!’
Police were notified of the threat by worried parents who debated on whether to send their children to school. The threat was directed at Prescott’s fellow students at Seven Springs Middle School in New Port Richey, Florida. Law enforcement was able to track down Prescott, who used the handle ‘clouning_around’ and had a disturbing image of a clown on the post. Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Nocco stated that their office has a zero tolerance policy related to school threats. Nocco stated that a “12 year old knows right from wrong.” Prescott has been charged with second-degree felony for “written threats to kill.” When asked, the young boy stated that he thought the threat to kill the students would be funny. However, local law enforcement took the threat seriously and posted patrol cars outside of the school and increased its presence in the area.
Threats of clowns trying to lure children into the woods with candy or chasing them in the streets have increased as Halloween approaches. Also increasing is the number of arrests of people making false statements to police about clowns. There have been reports of people dressed as clowns standing on dark streets or in front of graveyards holding balloons and waving at passing cars. There have been at least 18 arrests made by various police departments across the southeast as the creepy clown craze continues.
