Authorities Not Laughing As Reports Of Threatening Clowns Increase

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The clown chaos is haunting communities across the country and it has made its way to Northern California.

Deputies are looking into threats made on a social media website involving local schools and "creepy clowns."

"People were looking out to see if they were actually going to come," said Austin Rudulph, who said he saw an Instagram post that a clown with a knife was coming to Inderkum High School.

Inderkum is one of seven schools on a "hit list" post.

Sheldon, Franklin, Elk Grove, and Pleasant Grove High School, as well as Toby Johnson and Smedburg Middle Schools were threatened through an Instagram post.

"They say they're going to be at the homecoming game on Friday," said Marissa Duarte, a freshman at Inderkum.

The Instagram post by "sac.townclowns" includes a picture of a playground and school library where a clown is holding a knife.

"It's more freaking people out than anything," said one student.

In a separate incident, three girls were on their way home from school in North Highlands and they said they were chased by a clown with a knife on Elkhorn.

"They just told me that they saw a clown chasing them and kidnapping children," said Royce Radon who lives nearby.

Deputies investigated the 911 call which led back to a mentally disabled man.

While it's not what the girls thought they saw, they said the fear stemmed from social media posts; clowns were coming to get them.

"She was upset so I said, 'Do you want me to call the police?' and she said 'Yes,'" said Radon.

The Elkgrove and Natomas Unified School District's have sent letters home to warn parents and increased security near campus.

So whether it's a hoax or a true threat, police say it's no joking matter, which students agree.

"It's beefing up security for reasons that might not even be necessary and just causing outbreak for no reason and it's unnecessary," said Rudulph.

Clown threats have also been reported in the Fairfield School District and in Marysville.

It's a felony offense to make a threat against a public school.