Creepy Clowns Threaten to Come to Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is warning residents to be leery of evil clowns wielding knives (as if we wouldn’t be leery).

The terrifying warning stems from a bizarre “creepy clown prank” that’s spread across the nation and seems to have been taken to a new level in Los Angeles County. The warnings come from all regions of the county. In Lancaster, sheriff deputies said residents were terrified during three pranks involving a group of men dressed as creepy clowns approaching pedestrians. Witnesses told authorities they thought the evil clowns might be carrying knives.

In Culver City, police are on alert after a post on Instagram by "wearecomingtoCali" showed a clown in a park playground holding balloons with the caption, "We are hitting Culver City first."

The Instagram account threatened communities around Los Angeles Pasadena, Carson, Inglewood, Torrance and Crenshaw.

Meanwhile, in Lancaster, deputies remain on alert for the creepy clowns to come back.

“They were not the friendly-type of clown,” Ali Villalobos, a community service officer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in Lancaster told the Los Angeles Times.

"At this time, our station is aware of three individual incidents throughout the city," said a statement issued by the sheriff's Lancaster Station. "In all three incidents, there was nothing taken from the victims and it appears that the group of suspects is only trying to scare the victims.”

Police in Culver City said they are aware of the post and will remain vigilant, some residents, however, are nonplussed about it.

"I'm not personally afraid of clowns so I'm not so worried about it, but my husband's terrified of them," Tomika Matzner told NBC4.

RELATED:

• Are 'Creepy Clowns' Coming to California? 'Sightings' Reported in Golden State
• Creepy Clowns Coming to Culver City?

Patch Staffer Alex Nguyen contributed to this report. Photo by William Gray via flickr.com Photo by William Gray via flickr.com