Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Police Have Received About 20 Reports Of Armed Clowns In Kern County
The Wasco Clown was the OG Kern County clown (Photo via Instagram)
The mysterious Kern County clowns have not gone away, and in fact, may be getting creepier. The 'Wasco Clown,' the OG Kern County clown if you will, turned out to be a husband and wife doing an art project together. He'd dress up like a clown clutching a handful of balloons, she'd take creepy photos of him lurking in the dark and they'd post the photos to social media accounts. They told Kern Golden Empire they intended to post photos of the clown throughout October.
The ominous clown worked to stoke the Halloween spirit, but then, other clowns started popping out of the proverbial woodwork. These clowns appeared in Bakersfield and Delano, and along with them came urban legend-style reports of clowns carrying bats, machetes, axes and even a gun. The Wasco Clown couple said they are not proponents of violence, and they have nothing to do with these other clowns.
Saturday night, police were told that a clown with a gun was hanging out near Valhalla Drive and Belle Terrace in Bakersfield at about 8 p.m., L.A. Times reports. Police did not find the clown. One child recently said he was chased by a clown carrying an axe, though that report has not been substantiated.
One clown was caught chasing teenagers around and was arrested on suspicion of 'annoying a minor' last week. That clown turned out to be a teen himself, who told police that he was just copying the other clowns.
Finally! Don't dress up as clowns, people...#wascoclown #goingdown pic.twitter.com/DbIst936zQ
— Alissa Carlson (@ACarlsonKGET) October 10, 2014
Baskerfield Police Sgt. Joseph Grubbs is just tired of all this clowning around. He told the L.A. Times that they've received about 20 recent reports of armed clowns, and that police fear the situation could escalate. "We will make arrests on this. We want this to stop," he said.
Any Bakersfield Captain Spauldings or Pennywises out there who were prepping their Halloween costumes might want to rethink their outfits.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
