Clowns are inherently terrifying to many people simply because they exist. Yet when a clown lurks menacingly (and silently) on a street corner, the horror quotient exponentially ups itself. The finer details of this tale remain unclear, but whatever is going down has shaken up a community and a college campus. The Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha, Wisconsin, has seen quite a few reported sightings of a clown, who usually dresses in an orange jumpsuit. The clown stands on street corners and in front of dilapidated structures. In Satan’s the clown’s wake, the community has come unglued.
Reporter Nick Bohr of WISN 12 ABC in Milwaukee has been on the case since weird stuff hit the news last week.
Waukesha residents are buzzing about a "clown" spotted around town at night in recent days. #WISN12 at 10. pic.twitter.com/dpGdb1IqS0
— Nick Bohr (@NickBohrWISN) November 24, 2015
In short order, Bohr announced that the case was solved. The clown in the orange jumpsuit was a local teenager who is “developmentally delayed” and looking to freak people out. According to Waukesha Police Sgt. Jerry Habanek, the teenager “likes to watch the reactions people have when he’s dressed as a clown.” Case solved? Not quite. This story is not as simple as it seems…
We've gotten to the bottom of #Waukesha #Clown story we broke last night. Teen is going to keep it up. #WISN12 at 5 pic.twitter.com/Mt6uQxdTeh
— Nick Bohr (@NickBohrWISN) November 24, 2015
Another clown has surfaced in Waukesha, and this one dresses as a “Joker-type” incarnation. This clown waves to people, and he was sighted at a time when the first clown’s alibi placed him at home with family. Police believe the new clown is a copycat, but there’s no telling what’s true when it comes to unsettling matters like this.
#Waukesha PD now believe "Joker-type" #clown seen on @carrollu campus is copycat of teen dressing as clown nearby. pic.twitter.com/LTYQxEv7gO
— Nick Bohr (@NickBohrWISN) November 24, 2015
One thing is certain: This clown business has been ongoing for weeks, and it shows no signs of slowing down. One clown or two clowns makes no difference when it comes to stalkerish behavior. People are losing their minds on Twitter in a “ha ha” way, but they aren’t going out at night by choice.
For anyone who's in Waukesha does anybody notice the clown in a jumpsuit who stands and stares on Main street everyday for the past week
— Idiot (@bigpapirochaaa) November 11, 2015
https://twitter.com/MarissaBouma/status/663164067897585665
This clown in Waukesha is ruining my life
— Jordan Mathusek (@JordanMathusek) November 24, 2015
https://twitter.com/lexie_wendtt/status/669012608746323969
https://twitter.com/pbralick/status/669390673108299776
In Milwaukee, people get upset over drug dealers on street corners. In Waukesha, clowns are their biggest problem https://t.co/G04NAyJCz9
— Nick Schweitzer (@NickSchweitzer) November 24, 2015
People continued to freak out about these clowns all weekend long, and they’re still obsessed.
And in my #Waukesha list they're still RT'ing about the clown…
— Dean working stiff in Waukesha ✝🇮🇱🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@deaninwaukesha) November 29, 2015
(Via Nick Bohr on Twitter and JSOnline)