Watch out for the Clowns! Numerous Alabama schools are on lockdown today after a social media posts and phoned-in threat warned clowns might show up at two Birmingham area schools according to a report from an Alabama website.

Irondale police Officer James Lewis, a school resource officer, said a student reported to police that a Facebook post hinted at the possibility of clowns showing up on campus at Shades Valley High School. “There was no threat,” Lewis said.

Birmingham police said Holy Family Cristo Rey High School in Ensley received a call that a clown was coming to the school to lure children to the woods. Police found nothing, said Sgt. Bryan Shelton.

Similar incidents have taken place throughout Alabama, including Flomaton, Etowah County and Montgomery, and across the southeast. In some instances, children have reported clowns trying to lure them into the woods. In other cases, victims have been messaged by the so-called clowns with vulgar language.

A 9th grader at Gadsden City High School is being questioned.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday the arrests of a 22-year-old woman and two juveniles in connection with the “Flomo Known” affair. On Thursday, cryptic “Flomo Klown” postings on Facebook led to school campus lockdowns in Escambia County northeast of Mobile. On Friday, further social media buzz led to a so-called “soft” lockdown of Fairhope High.

Today, Etowah County Schools Superintendent Alan Cosby said officers with Rainbow City police were on campus this morning at Rainbow Middle School and John Jones Elementary. The officers were there following a social media post which hinted at a visit to Rainbow Middle by a clown.

In a press release statement the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said that 22-year-old, Makayla Smith of Flomaton, Alabama has been arrested for making a terroristic threat.

And, just a short time ago, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office posted this on Facebook: “The Sheriff’s Office has received numerous reports of social media posts of individuals making threats under the auspice of being clowns. These threats under Alabama Law could result in arrest for “Making a Terroristic Threat” which is a felony. School resource officers have identified several suspects that were making the posts and an investigation is currently ongoing.”

In Irondale, Lewis said they spoke with the student who reported the possibility of clowns showing up at Shades Valley, and said the Facebook posts have since been removed. He said the soft lockdown is a precaution only, and there is no disruption to classes.

Irondale police Det. Sgt. Michael Mangina said they have two school resource officers assigned to Shades Valley. In addition to those two officers, extra officers were patrolling the campus today.

Mangina said they are monitoring the situation, but said they are not overly concerned. “Part of the problem is the fact this stuff gets on social media and it explodes and it alarms people and it just spreads,” he said. “In today’s climate, we’re better safe than sorry.”

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