‘It’s not illegal to be a clown’

Creepy clowns have been spotted in Pierce County.

Three people in recent weeks reported seeing men in scary clown costumes peeking out of wooded areas and hiding under bridges.

There have been no reports of crime or violence from the clowns, who made appearances near South Hill and Graham.

“They’re probably jumping on the bandwagon of what’s been going on around the country,” sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said Friday.

The nationwide hoax about dangerous clowns started in August in Greenville County, South Carolina, after people reported clowns trying to lure children into the woods or lingering in bizarre places.

Since then, creepy clown sightings were made in Alabama, George, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and now Washington state.

Law enforcement agencies have expressed frustration with wasting resources on clown sightings or fear that someone will get hurt.

Twelve people in those states face charges for making false reports or threats, or chasing people, according to The New York Times.

Detectives locally are keeping an eye on the clown sightings but are not investigating them.

“It’s not illegal to be a clown,” Troyer said.

This story was originally published September 30, 2016 at 5:34 PM with the headline "‘It’s not illegal to be a clown’."