RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Halloween is a little over a month away and it seems no matter where you look, you’re bound to find something spooky.
For Brayden Ledford, 18, of Russellville, it was what he witnessed and captured using his iPhone late Monday night that still has him a little shaken – a creepy clown.
“My friend and I saw a clown digging on the side of the road,” he explains.
Ledford says it was around 9:30 p.m. when he and his friend decided to go to his favorite spot near a lake to talk about a problem his buddy was going through.
“We were just going to talk about things because it’s a place to get away,” he continues. “We pulled up down that road and there was a clown just sitting there.”
Ledford uploaded the video to his TikTok, a social media app for video sharing, where he has more than 400-thousand followers.
He says it was funny until the costumed clown started walking towards his vehicle while dragging the shovel behind.
“It can be a joke but like it can come to an extent,” Ledford says. “Like a shovel and digging in the ground somebody can drive by and think that’s the wrong thing.”
Now his video has more than 750-thousand views and he hopes people are more aware of the impact this can have one someone.
“I am personally afraid of clowns. I watched IT 2 and I was like, no I can’t do this. I had to leave the movie,” he says. “I think a lot of people are afraid of clowns and that’s why this thing should not be a joke.”
Ledford says he didn’t report it to the police because he drove off and was not harmed.
Authorities in the past have informed the public that simply seeing a clown is not a reason to call the police nor is wearing a clown costume against the law.
Clown sighting calls can tie up resources needed to respond to other emergencies.
Experts say the best way to combat the “creep clown scare” is by being supportive and informative for the person who fears clowns, according to the Child Mind Institute.
Here are three helpful tips to help you start the conversation.
- Be realistic. A clown is usually someone dressed up in a costume.
- Be understanding. Listen to the person’s concerns and go through what could be potential safety risks or harmful things a clown can do.
- Be informative. Explain what the person could do like avoiding the clown.
Watch the full TikTok video clip of the clown, here.
