Terrorist Clown Ring Arrested in Alabama

Flomaton, Alabama police have taken one adult and two juveniles into custody in connection with a threat that put four local schools under lockdown, and they may be able to link the trio to some of the other malicious clown activity that has frightened communities over the last few weeks.

Makayla Smith, allegedly the clowns' ringleader, will likely be charged with making a terroristic threat, report the Flomaton police. Smith is from Pensacola, Florida, according to information released by authorities.

Over the summer months, creepy clown sightings have been reported in seven different states, including Florida. In some cases, the clowns have allegedly tried to lure young children into the woods with bribes of candy or money.

On Thursday morning, several Flomaton parents contacted the police, saying their children had been messaged online by a Facebook user named "Flomo Klown" who made threats against the students' schools. The messages included gun emojis.

Flomaton High School, the middle school, and the elementary school were immediately placed on a "soft lockdown," forcing students and teachers to shelter in place. As a precaution, nearby Escambia County High School was also placed on partial lock down.

The "Flomo Klowns" have a Facebook page where they say, "I kill people for a living." There is other threatening language on their page, which is sprinkled with gun emojis. One post from Thursday says "it's going down tonight."

Officials have not stated how Smith may be connected to the Facebook page, or whether additional charges may be issued in relation to other clown activity.

The juvenile participants have since been released into their parents' oversight, but will likely be returned to police custody once official charges are filed.

Other southern states that have been plagued by frightening clown behavior this year are South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Outlier states Ohio and Wisconsin have also reported activities.