A clown bearing gifts of flowers and two balloons -- one with the saying "You're the greatest!" -- shot a woman as she accepted the bouquet in front of her Wellington home on Saturday.

Marlene Warren, 40, was shot at least once in the head by the clown wearing a red wig, a red bulb nose, gloves and a smile painted on its white face.

Warren was taken to Palms West Hospital where she was listed in critical condition late on Saturday, a nursing supervisor said.

"This is the strangest thing I've seen in all my 19 years in law enforcement," said Palm Beach County sheriff's spokesman Bob Ferrell. "It certainly seems well planned out."

About 11 a.m., the assailant -- detectives are not sure whether the attacker was a man or woman -- drove a white Chrysler LeBaron to Warren's home in the 15000 block of Take Off Place.

The clown walked to the front door carrying a bouquet of red and white flowers and two balloons, detectives said.

"She went to the door and there was somebody wearing a clown suit and a clown mask," Ferrell said. "As she went to take the flowers and balloons, the clown shot her. As far as I know, nothing was said."

After the shooting, the clown dropped the bouquet and two balloons, one of which had Snow White's picture on it.

Warren's two teen-age sons and several friends witnessed the shooting. They saw the assailant leave in the LeBaron, which had no license plate, Ferrell said.

Detectives searched the Palm Beach International Airport, where they found a car that matched witnesses' descriptions. It was not clear late on Saturday whether that car was used in the crime.

Detectives spent most of Saturday checking Warren's home in the Aero Club community. The neighborhood has a private landing strip, and the homes range in value from $200,000 to $1 million.

"We're beating the bushes right now," said one of the detectives, who asked not to be identified. "We're checking all their friends and business associates to see if we can find anything."

Detectives also checked several flower and gift shops near the Wellington area in the hope of gathering leads.

The victim's husband, Michael Warren, owns Bargain Motors Inc., an automobile sales and leasing business in the 1500 block of North Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, detectives said.

After being interviewed, Michael Warren left sheriff's headquarters about 4:30 p.m. with his arm draped over one of his son's shoulders.

"We don't have anything to say right now," Warren said.