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WEBVTT PATENT WILL TELLYOU JUST HOW COOL IT IS EXPECTEDTO GET OUR THE END OF NEXT WEEK,COMING UP.MARGARET: THANK YOU.IT'S A STORY WE HAVE BEENCOVERING ALL WEEK.CREEPY CLOWN SIGHTINGS IN THETRIAD.AND TODAY, POLICE IN ONE CITYHAVE SAID THAT THOSE REPORTS AREFAKE.WINSTON-SALEM POLICE HAVEARRESTED DAVID ARMSTRONG.HE'S CHARGED WITH FILING A FALSEPOLICE REPORT.POLICE SAY HE ADMITTED TO MAKINGUP A STORY OF A CLOWN KNOCKINGON HIS WINDOW, THEN CHASING THECLOWN INTO THE WOODSTHERE WAS ANOTHER CLOWN SIGHTINGIN GREENSBORO IN THE WOODS BYTHE PARK AT OLD OAK RIDGE ROAD.THE PERSON WHO CALLED 911 SAIDTHE CLOWN WENT BACK INTO THEWOODS AFTER A MAN WITH A MACHETEWENT AFTER IT.THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS INWALKERTOWN AND HIGH POINT.POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED ANYMOREINFORMATION INTO THESE REPORTS,BUT DO SAY THAT THEY HAVEN'T

Advertisement Report of clown trying to lure kids into Winston-Salem woods was false, police say Man arrested, accused of making up separate sighting hours later Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Winston-Salem police said Friday that they have determined that a report of a suspicious clown trying to lure children into the woods last weekend was false. A man was arrested on suspicion of falsely reporting another clown sighting hours later. The first incident was reported just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of East 29th Street near Claremont Avenue and Piedmont Park. Police said in a statement they determined the report was false after conducting in-depth interviews with all witnesses and reviewing surveillance video during the time before, during and after the reported incident. According to the report, two children saw the clown, and one adult heard but didn't see the clown, police said. The alleged clown fled the scene by the time officers arrived, police said. "The video surveillance did not reveal any individual dressed as a clown or anyone trying to lure children into the woods at this location," police said in a statement. A second sighting was reported around 12:20 a.m. Monday in the 1600 block of Hope Lane, while a third report was made around 2:45 a.m. Monday in the 1800 block of Salem Crest Lane. Police said Friday they have not been able to substantiate any reports of clown sightings in the city, though they will investigate any other reports of suspicious behavior that come in. David Armstrong was charged with filing a false police report in connection with the Salem Crest Lane incident and held under a $500 bond in the Forsyth County jail. Police allege Armstrong admitted to making up a story of a clown knocking on his window and then chasing the clown into nearby woods. Since Winston-Salem police issued a news release early Monday morning about the reported sightings, other sightings were reported in Walkertown, High Point, Rural Hall and Greensboro. There have been no indications so far that any of these other reported sightings involved a direct interaction with children. Law enforcement officials said they have received no pictures from any of the sightings. Greensboro police said in a statement Tuesday that while being a clown is not illegal, they discouraged "'copycat' behavior by individuals who may find it humorous to mimic the suspicious behavior that has parents on edge." A Greensboro man told WXII he was armed with a machete when he approached a clown Tuesday morning at his apartment complex. The description of the clown there did not match the clown description from the alleged Winston-Salem incident. In a statement to sister station WYFF, a film company said it was "not associated in any way with the creepy clowns and costumed characters found roaming the South." WYFF reported that, according to theories, social media images of alleged clown sightings in Greenville, S.C., looked similar to a poster promoting a Rob Zombie film.