Waukegan Clown Threat Report was False: School

WAUKEGAN, IL - Reports that students at an elementary school in Waukegan were threatened by clowns this week were false, CBS and others have reported.

Police responded to Greenwood Elementary School at 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday for a clown sighting. Children at the school said that during recess the three clowns stood at the edge of the school property and taunted them. One had a knife, another was carrying a briefcase and the third had a gun in his pocket.

The children all said the three threatened to return Friday and kill them.

But that never happened, because Tuesday’s report was fabricated by the students involved, Waukegan School District 30 officials confirmed. Instead of clowns, it was reported that the students saw three construction workers who were walking away from the school and did not confront the kids.

“The national hysteria and social media proliferation surrounding ‘creepy/killer clowns’ has led to many parent and student concerns about safety in our schools, and around the community. We would like the community to know that we take all of these concerns seriously, and we work with police to follow up on all reported sightings and threats,” the district said in a news release.

The students who made up the tale will be disciplined.

photo via Waukegan Police Department