Creepy Clowns Check-In

The actual Whataburger in Albuquerque, New Mexico, terrorized by a "creepy clown."

It is time to do a little roundup of recent clown stories.

Albuquerque Police say they arrested a "creepy clown" that was terrorizing customers at a local Whataburger.

On Monday night, August 6, 2018, police arrested 32-year-old Stephen Ames, who was reported to be wearing a clown mask and waving a machete at customers in the parking lot of the Whataburger at the intersection of Carlisle and Claremont.

According to a criminal complaint, the manager of the Whataburger told Ames to leave after he reportedly spent 20 minutes in the restaurant’s restroom. Once outside, the manager said Ames took out the machete from its sheath and started banging it against his knee. Fearing an attack, police say the manager then locked the doors of the restaurant.

The original Whataburgers used a "W" in their roof design.

They evolved, by 1961, to some locations with the W-less look, while still retaining the A-frame look.

Police say Ames then approached cars that were stopped at a nearby traffic signal. While wearing the clown mask, police say Ames blew kisses at passengers, then approached a car to write the words “kill you” on a window. Before the car could leave, police say Ames shouted “I will f**k you up” at the occupants.

When police arrived at the scene, they say they encountered Ames with the clown mask on, thrusting his hips in a sexual manner toward the Whataburger restaurant. Ames was taken into custody without further incident. Police say they found a filled heroin needle in Ames’ possession, along with the machete.

h/t AWG

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Other incidents...

On July 10, 2018, a gunman involved in a robbery reportedly wearing a golden "angry clown" mask shot a Waffle House patron in Atlanta, Georgia.

Sightings of a Phantom Clown described variously with a "clown mask," and/or with "red hair and red pants," near the Hudson Falls Primary School, occurred on May 29, 2018.  The Post-Star (Glens Falls, NY) 5-31-18, pg. 3, notes, "Police looking into 'clown' sighting near Kingsbury school."

At the Little Caesars pizza shop in Holly Hill, Florida, around 11:50 pm on May 26, 2018, a "clown" attacked an employee closing up the store. The "clown" used a wooden post. The employee pulled out his concealed weapon and shot the attacker dead.

Two men wearing clown masks held up a Queens, New York, Walgreen's at gunpoint on May 22, 2018.

On April 11, 2018, there was a Beverly Hills, California incident involving a clown, kids, and a machete. NBC Los Angeles, on April 11, 2018, at 10:19 pm PDT, updated their story:  "A man in a clown mask spooked a Beverly Hills neighborhood Wednesday when he reportedly wielded a machete at children."

On April 9, 2018, WPRI in Warwick, Rhode Island, reported, "Clown-masked robber targets local Dunkin' Donuts."

Also...

See "Phantom Clowns: Classified," for the definition and differences between Phantom Clowns, Killer Clowns, and Stalking Clowns.

See also "Creepy Clowns" and the NY Post's historical article from 2016.

Copycat Creepy Clowns Countrywide

Clown contagion appears to be spreading across the nation.

The Wasco Clown, a California photography project by a husband-and-wife team who said they wish to remain anonymous, appears to have inspired copycats that have been photographed and videotaped in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Fishers, Indiana; and Jacksonville, Florida. Source/Video.

Huffington Post and many media outlets have posted the photos.

Also, there's been a recent rash of clowns-as-robbers incidents too.

See posting of October 10, 2014, "Wasco's Mysterious Clowns."

Phantom clowns have been making appearances for years (see this, from 2008), so it would only be natural that clowns would be used to terrorized people again. And again.

Albuquerque Shootings Kill Five

The bullet-ridden bodies of three adults and two children were found inside an Albuquerque, New Mexico, home late Saturday, January 19, 2013.

A teenage boy faces murder and other charges in the shooting deaths on the outskirts of Albuquerque.

Investigators were still combing over the home on the southwestern edge of the city where investigators found the victims Saturday night, said Deputy Aaron Williamson, a spokesman for the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department. It was unclear whether the teenager now in custody is related to the victims, nor would Williamson disclose whether the victims -- who included two boys and a girl -- were related.

Williamson said each victim had been shot multiple times. Several guns were found inside the home, including a "military-style" rifle he said had been used in the crime.

The teen is being charged with two counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death, the sheriff's department said. He was arrested after being questioned at the sheriff's office and is likely to be arraigned on Tuesday, Williamson said.

Officials began offering their condolences for Greg Griego, a spiritual leader known for his work with firefighters and the 13 years he spent as a volunteer chaplain at the county jail.

"Chaplin Griego was a dedicated professional that passionately served his fellow man and the firefighters of this community," Fire Chief James Breen said in a statement. "His calming spirit and gentle nature will be greatly missed."

Jail Chief Ramon Rustin said Griego was instrumental in the creation of the Metropolitan Detention Center's chaplain program and worked to get inmates integrated back into the community.

Griego also was a former member of the pastoral staff at Calvary, a Christian church in Albuquerque. As part of his work there, he oversaw the Straight Street program for jail inmates.

The other victims' names and the suspect's identity have not been released Sunday afternoon.

A semi-automatic assault-type rifle, along with several other weapons, were recovered at the scene.

Thanks to Theo Paijmans for initial news tip.