BEND, OR -- As we approach Halloween, “scary clown” sightings are increasing across the country, and police say Bend is not immune. A Cascade Middle School athletic team spotted – then caught – a “scary clown” who appeared at their practice on Tuesday. The clown was later identified as a local high school student; the school is handling the situation internally.
On Sunday, a juvenile running near Mt. Washington Dr. and Skyliners Road reported seeing someone dressed in a clown suit carrying a hatchet or an axe. Officers searched the area but didn't find anything.
Bend PD says, "As people partake in dressing as clowns, and more dangerously, arming themselves, it is important to get this information out." Officers encourage residents to call local law enforcement if you see someone acting suspicious, regardless of how they’re dressed.
In southern Oregon, police arrested a 21-year-old man dressed as a clown after they say he stood outside several high schools holding a sign that said “We are here.” Jackson County authorities say Michael Richards held the sign at Crater, North Medford, South Medford and Eagle Point high schools. He’s being held on charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing.
