Several ‘creepy clown’ incidents hit Ontario

Ontario is being haunted by bozos in creepy clown costumes.

Over the past week, eerily dressed mischief makers have been seen terrorizing children all over the province, often chasing kids or teens, or lurking around dark streets and trails.

The OPP has reported at least four creepy-clown incidents in the Orillia area since Oct. 5, as well as one around Penatanguishine and another in Brighton.

On Thursday, Peel police found that an 11-year-old boy had been making “killer-clown” themed threats online.

He had targeted his fellow students at Lisgar Middle School in Mississauga.

These reports come one week after children at Pope Francis Catholic School in downtown Toronto were frightened by a teenager in a clown costume running towards them “in a threatening manner.”

“They’re popping up all over the place, and the problem is, with social media, kids are seeing them and going ‘Yeah, I’ll do that,’ without thinking of the consequences,” said OPP Sgt. Paul Nancekivell.

“We’re concerned with Halloween coming up. We want kids to enjoy themselves,” Nancekivell added.

“But it’s also a moral issue, when you get down to it. Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to scare innocent little kids?”

Even professional clowns admit there’s something unnerving about a stranger in face paint, wig and strange clothes darkening your door.

“You don’t really know who the person is,” said party clown Jeff Wahl. “People are uncomfortable with them not showing their real face. And that can be a little intimidating.”

Wahl, who performs at kids’ birthdays, bar mitzvahs and even weddings, said he tries to put children at ease as soon as he enters the room at one of his gigs.

“I do a wacky voice and I make my clown very lovable, so it’s easy for the kids to connect right away,” he said.

Plus, he never performs with the traditional clown makeup and big red nose.

“I’m a birthday party clown, as opposed to a full-out freaky-looking clown,” he said. The company he works for, KRM Children’s Entertainment, doesn’t send any of its clowns out in full white face makeup unless it is requested by a client.

“It’s for the cost of the makeup, but also the fact that it scares children,” he said.

And the professional clowns who do cake on the spooky white makeup could see their bottom line hurt by the plague of creepy clown pranks.

“It does hurt the image . . . the people that are doing full face paint, I can see their business dropping down a bit because people are just unsure of it,” Wahl said.