In the midst of many 2016 crazes like Snapchat filters and Tumblr aesthetics, creepy clowns became swept up in the mix. From the first sighting, claimed to date back to 2013, the concept of killer clowns gained traction three years later, causing mass panic on social media.
According to an Oct. 28, 2025, article in The Carolinian, multiple local children in South Carolina claimed that individuals dressed as clowns tried to lure them into a nearby patch of woods. Although all sightings were alleged, they provoked a strong reaction from locals and later received widespread coverage. Following a large wave of supposed sightings in South Carolina, the panic spread across the U.S.
After a few incidents that caused nationwide havoc, individuals associated with creepy clown behavior were arrested and charged with serious crimes, according to the same article from The Carolinian.
West Essex Students remember the terror that swarmed the elementary school playground at the mention of killer clowns.
“I remember watching YouTube videos where killer clowns were lurking in the background of playgrounds and schools, attacking YouTubers,” Senior Katie Lynch said. “It used to scare me on the bus on the way home from school.”
The killer clown epidemic, while evidence is inconclusive, left children of all ages questioning their safety and parents worrying about their children being alone.
