One clown showed up on a roadside in a rain poncho, another waved money at children near woods.
The reported sightings of silent, menacing clowns in northeastern South Carolina may be part of a horror movie publicity stunt or an elaborate hoax, but they are no laughing matter for parents and police.
Over the past two weeks, residents have told authorities they have spotted clowns, or people who looked like clowns, on at least eight occasions.