Authorities claimed their first win against Clownpocalypse as Flomaton, Alabama police may have finally put the brakes on a clown reign of terror spreading across the South.
After a series of threatening posts on the “Flomo Clown” Facebook page (pictured below), authorities in the Alabama town took two juveniles and one adult into custody on Thursday in connection with the incident.
The post, which appeared to threaten violence at an area school, had even caused Flomaton police to order a “soft lockdown,” forcing students and teachers to shelter in place while authorities searched for the errant – and possibly violent – circus act. No clowns were discovered, but police obtained enough information to issue several warrants.
Makayla Smith, allegedly the clowns’ “ringleader” was apprehended and will likely be charged with making a terroristic threat, according to the Flomaton police Facebook page. Smith and her clown posse hail from Pensacola, Florida, according to information released by authorities.
Officials have not said whether Smith is connected to the Facebook page, which they say issued such credible threats against local schools that they required immediate action.
The alleged threats included this photo, taken from Flomo Clown’s page, of a female clown drenched in what appears to be fake blood and with the phrase, “Do you like clowns?” written on her torso.
Flomaton authorities took to social media to calm the community and explain the need for such extraordinary measures as a school lockdown.
They even held a joint press conference with the FBI, who became involved after it was clear the clowns were threatening a public school, government property. Flomaton explained that they treated the incident as a terrorist threat, even though the suspected perpetrators were, in fact, clowns.
The incident is part of a wave of clown-related sightings that have terrified communities across the South — in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina — in recent weeks. The trend originated in South Carolina, with unconfirmed reports of clowns trying to lure children into the woods behind an apartment complex with offers of cash and candy.
Georgia residents soon began experiencing copycat incidents. Reports of five clowns “driving around in a white van” kept Athens, Georgia police busy for days, recently.
Flomaton, Alabama appears to be the first Alabama community to experience a clown-related threats (though it appears at least some of the alleged terrorist clowns were from Florida).