London police have identified two youths who are alleged to have made social media threats of a violent clown attack.
The London Police Service was notified on Thursday about a threatening message posted to Instagram, which was directed at high schools in the London area.
"We are kidnapping students and killing teachers, we’re not clowning around,” the message read. "Do not show up to school on Friday, the clowns are going to be there and this is not a joke. It doesn’t matter what high school you’re at other than RMC [Regina Mundi Collegiate], they’re coming.”
An investigation led members of the London Police Internet Child Exploitation Unit and Digital Forensics Unit to search two London residences for digital evidence. As a result, two young offenders have been identified as those allegedly responsible for the social media threats.
Police say an investigation is ongoing and anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Police say the threat is not connected to a couple of "scary clown" sightings in London on Friday. Officers were called to the area of Wonderland Rd. and Viscount Rd. at 10am following a report of a group of individuals wearing clown costumes. Another individual dressed as a clown was later spotted at around 10:30am, running through the parking lot of a secondary school in London's west end.
Police were able to locate the individuals involved, who were spoken to by officers. No charges have been laid.
So called “clown attacks” have been popping up across North America over the past few months. In some of the reports, menacing clowns have been spotted with weapons trying to lure kids into wooded areas, or running at vehicles.
-With files from Miranda Chant
