Police Chief Comments on Creepy Clown Hoax, Threat Against Elementary School

COVENTRY, RI -- The police and school officials stayed in close contact last week after two social media threats were reported, Col. John MacDonald said in a Facebook post.

On Wednesday, a 15-year-old at Coventry High posted a video on Snapchat. The video showed him loading what appeared to be a gun and was captioned "don't come to school today." Police determined the student was not a threat, but he has been charged in Family Court and must stay away from the school and the victims, pending a mental health hearing.

Then on Friday, Schools Supt. Craig Levis advised parents two students had received a post connected to the "creepy clown."

That second threat, sent over Instagram to two Hopkins Hill students and posted on the Friend of Coventry Facebook page, showed a Creepy Clown picture with the message he was coming to the school that day.

"I want to make you aware that the national trend of using a 'creepy clown' to threaten schools has arrived in
Coventry," the superintendent wrote. "The police were immediately notified and with parental permission, came and met with the students and reviewed the posts."

Although police determined the post was probably a hoax, they decided to send additional officers to all the elementary schools, he said.

Also, the superintendent moved recess indoors on Friday.

"I made a decision to keep all elementary students inside for recess today," he said and added the police and the schools "take each and every threat very seriously."

The superintendent and the police chief said they understand the emotional toll these threats take on the community.

"I am sure it was an uneasy ending to the week for the parents and students of our schools with Thursday's online threat at the high school followed by Friday's 'creepy clown' threat messages via social media involving an elementary school," Col. MacDonald said.

"Fortunately, this week ended without incident, but we must continually strive to be alert and prepared," he said.

According to the police chief, over the past year, security improvements have been ongoing.

"Back in January," he said, an effort started to reform the School Safety Committee, "which had done some good work after the tragedy at Sandy Hook."

The chief said public safety, school and town officials have focused on emergency communications, as well as "evolving our lock down protocols and planning a future exercise involving all the agencies which will focus on our school emergency response."

So, they were ready for last week's events, he indicated.

"I urge parents, students and all residents to continue sharing investigative reports of suspicious behavior involving 'creepy clown' sightings or any social media threats," he said. "With Halloween approaching, this trend in Rhode Island communities is only likely to continue."