clowns

[briandg]

I think that it's time to at least start thinking about the killer clowns. A "clown" somehow warned of a "clown" attack on the high school, killing and hurting the students. the police facebook page is flooded with clown concerned parents, in general, this whole clown thing is out of hand.

What is a person supposed to do if a clown appears and is menacing someone?

Strictly hypothetical, not specific, but it is turning into a serious problem, and I am kind of wondering what to do if it appears that ouchy the clown is about to go john gacey?

It seems to me that it calls for a very stern lecture and a warning of "LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

I presume that actual physical contact other than a pat on the head calls for a serious thump on the head, as there's just no possible way to determine intent. Is he going to go three stooges, and pull out a weapon?

I can even see these morons starting to use clown masks in committing crimes.

But, generally speaking, what do you do if you see a clown chasing a kid down the street or in some other way menacing a person? It's almost certainly just a bluff, but what if it's actually just some bonehead that is using the mask for anonymity? Now that the market is flooded with the masks, what to do!?

I'd like to point out that with halloween coming, isn't it rather likely that at least somewhere, we're going to have clowns jumping out at kids and scaring them?

[Lohman446]

In MI (I have no idea on other states) kidnapping is a justification for lethal force. Generally speaking I stay out of business that is not my own but if a child is actually frightened and a parent is not nearby I may step in. If it is my own child I am going to step in.

Standard protocol assuming that time allows it (and it is not my child). Call the police and observe with dispatch on the phone. If the situations warrants further action on my part I am going to slowly escalate the situation as it allows. Either by making my presence known through the use of a verbal command (including noting the police are on the way) or by the display or (last case) use of a firearm.

If its my child the idea of consenting participants is no longer a concern and the situation will be reserved without observation (calling the police and having them on the phone is preferred but is situation dependent).

Wow that is a canned answer. The situation is simply too dynamic to answer readily.

[T. O'Heir]

Same thing you do if you see anybody else chasing anybody menacingly. Just doesn't necessarily call for gun fire.
"...just some bonehead that is using the mask for anonymity?..." Kind of the purpose of a mask. The fact that it's some bonehead(the definition of a criminal) doesn't matter. Said bone head could be wearing a Howdy Doody mask.

[briandg]

Right now, the police department has just posted on their facebook page regarding one of the schools that was threatened. Apparently someone started another facebook explosion by posting that a school was in lockdown. The PD has taken to facegbook and other media to tell the public "NO, THE DAD GUM SCHOOL IS NOT ON LOCKDOWN!"

It's just too ironic that I've been thinking about this all day, and bang.

facebook folks manage to bring out the stupid in people. I expect that for a while, there were people at the school trying to get their kids home. I read that a lot of people were going to keep their kids at home today, whether or not it was just a hoax.

We received information that there is a post circulating on Facebook that officers are at Joplin North Middle School and that the school is on lockdown. We have been in contact with school officials, as well as our school resource officer and that is not the case.
There is no problem at any of our schools.

[briandg]

The reason for the question is that now, a clown mask has a certain significance. It's meant to be scary as hell, playing on a new internet meme, but it's not necessarily supposed to be dangerous.

I'd be a lot more concerned about a guy in a howdy doody mask, because he's actually hiding his face for a reason other than the ongoing clown gag.

Same thing with a mask from any of the horror movies, you don't know if it's just some innocent prank, or a more sinister thing, but when Richard nixon shows up at a store, or any other obscure mask, you can guess that it's not just some idiot trolling for laughs.

[briandg]

Keep something else in mind, clowns have a much deeper significance. Clowns actually scare the hell out of some people. I have a niece that screams hen she sees one. I'm not afraid, but I have a deep, visceral dislike for them. I see a clown and my first impulse is to just kick his teeth out. If a clown came after me personally, got in my face and bothered me, it would be really difficult controlling my anger.

[Cheapshooter]

Well, we didn't have "clowns", but thieves, trespassers, and other nefarious characters in the "good old days", and it wouldn't be well received in today's society. But a load of rock salt replacing the lead shot in a 12 gauge shell worked wonders!

[Frank Ettin]

Enough. Clowns, guys in other sorts of costumes, etc., it's still a matter of assessing what is happening, how it is happening, and what response is warranted -- all as a reasonable and prudent person.

There is no "pat" answer. There is never a "pat" answer.