It’s the plot of every cheesy horror movie. Clowns creeping through old, abandoned houses, peeking around open doors or watching you sleep in the dark. But Hollywood is as far as the creepy clown impersonations should go.

Throughout more than 10 different states, there have been reports of individuals dressed as clowns wandering through the woods, approaching children in parking lots and sending threatening messages. In Muskegon, Michigan, schools were forced into a “soft lockdown” Monday, Oct. 3 following a “creepy clown threat.”

At the beginning of the week, police in North Carolina received a phone call about a clown looking to lure children into the woods. With reports such as these coming in at what seems to be an alarming rate, law officials and citizens are making it clear to their communities that this kind of behavior is not acceptable and, most importantly, not funny.

Grand Valley State University is not exempt from the fear that follows the creepy clown trend. With reports of “clown spottings” showing up on social media platforms and within conversations in the classroom, a general sense of uneasiness has set across the campus. Though this is a unique and unexpected threat, it couldn’t have come at a more inappropriate time. In light of a recent spike in reported sexual assaults and crime near campus, there is no need for an added source of distress.

In fact, if you look at the historical background behind the creepy clown trend, there are ties to serial killers and characteristics of psychopathic behaviors. In the 1960s, notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy went on a killing spree murdering 33 people dressed as his alter ego, “Pogo the Clown.” Encouraging or mimicking this kind of threatening and dangerous behavior is nothing to be laughing about.

It seems as though once a decade, these creepy clowns come back to haunt us. In the 1980s, clowns were spotted around the nation attempting to lure children into vans or remote locations. Though these threats are nothing new, the consequences of these threats remain the same. Any actions that negatively impact a community and a sense of general safety are not acceptable.

Maybe you want to ignore these threats or possibly join in on the fun, but as the sightings increase, the severity of each event could as well. Especially if the clowns are waving a weapon around, the police are not going to ignore this behavior. As Halloween approaches, pick another costume or maybe keep your inner clown at home.

If you feel like getting into the swing of the Halloween season this year, pick up a Stephen King novel, have a horror movie marathon or find a great Halloween party.

There’s a setting for terrifying behavior, and that’s behind the scenes of a movie set or within the pages of a book, not in our Laker community.