Police in Dayton, OH say a woman was forced to draw her handgun in self defense when a menacing clown and his posse showed up at her back door in an apparent attempt to rob her house.

The incident happened shortly after 9PM Friday night at the woman’s residence located in the 700 block of Hart Street.

The victim told police that she was preparing dinner in the kitchen when she saw a reflection in the lenses of her glasses. When she turned around, there was a male at the back door with an “unknown long rifle,” according to a Dayton police report. She said the man was wearing a clown mask, a long-sleeved black shirt, black gloves and black jeans. The man was telling the woman to open the back door that was locked at the time. The victim ran into the living room, where she was able to see two other men in her front yard. That’s when she grabbed her “black revolver handgun,” according to the police report.

The woman saw the suspect wearing the clown mask as she exited her house. She told police she watched the man aimed his long rifle at her and attempt to load it.

That’s when she drew her own gun, firing a “warning shot” into her own garage. The shot caused the armed clown posse to flee the scene.

While we don’t advocate firing a warning shot, we’re glad to hear the woman and her belongings remained intact.