The "Creepy Clown" craze has hit an all-time high, and with the Halloween festivities, it would be no surprise that many would dress up as clowns while trick-or-treating. However, not all residents in Florida are open to the idea of being attacked while trick-or-treating and are reportedly going out fully armed with weapons.
According to Florida Today, residents are going to be carrying guns and other weapons to protect themselves and their children from creepy clowns. This comes just two weeks after Melbourne Police had arrested two men who allegedly dressed up as clowns and then armed themselves before chasing people and making threats.
"I'll be carrying for sure," explained resident Kimberly Kersey. "I'm terrified of clowns already and if one messes with me or my kids it'll be to the hospital or morgue they go."
Others, like Pam Metz, will be carrying baseball bats and other types of weapons given that they do not own firearms. This will still help them fight off any possible attacker, particularly those dressed up in clown outfits during Halloween.
It is noted that the Palm Bay Police did urge people via Facebook to not wear clown outfits this Halloween as it may lead to trouble. The post points out that there have been five official reports of creepy clowns in the area but none of them were armed.
That may change over the course of Halloween night. With several civilians carrying weapons, a person in a clown outfit, even one that is innocent and with no malevolent intentions, might get hurt out of panic.
The craze of the creepy clown began as far back as this August when several people in South Carolina dressed up as clowns and attempted to entice young children to follow them into the woods. Following this several other creepy clown sightings have taken place across the country. No report thus far involved an actual attack.
