By Ayah Galal
False rumors circulated quickly on social media about a clown wandering through Quinnipiac University’s Mount Carmel campus, Monday night.
Some students were saying the clown was walking through an academic building with a knife while others believed the clown was walking near residence halls.
“I’m actually extremely afraid of clowns…there is something about clowns that are seriously the scariest thing in the entire world to me,” Jamie Billman, a junior media studies major said.
At approximately 7:30p.m., Quinnipiac Public Safety stated that nothing had been reported to them and if there was indeed a clown, they would have been notified.
By 8:05p.m., officers inside the Public Safety were calling the situation a “hoax.”
Some people on Twitter wrote that certain buildings, including the Arnold Bernhard Library were under lockdown, which was not true.
Quinnipiac is really in lockdown cause there was a clown spotting
— Eddy (@Eddy_Carvalho_) October 3, 2016
When Quinnipiac is having sightings of creepy clowns… I’m staying in my dorm forever ??
— Megan Souza (@megnsouza) October 4, 2016
“We had no idea whether public safety was even attempting to figure out what was happening, we just kept on hearing rumors,” Sarah Dickerman, a junior biology major said. “I just think a more direct line of communication should have been established.”
Quinnipiac did not send out a text message alert or email regarding the situation. As more rumors and confusion spread, Quinnipiac’s official Twitter account reassured students that the campus was secure.
The University is secure and is NOT in lockdown. All campus operations are running normally.
— QuinnipiacUniversity (@QuinnipiacU) October 4, 2016
Clown sightings have increased across college campuses in Connecticut and other states. Students at Sacred Heart University reported a clown sighting near campus, according to the Fairfield Patch.
There were also false reports of a clown sighting at the UConn and the campus did not go into lockdown, Fox 61 reported.
Hundreds of Penn State students went clown hunting after rumors of a clown on campus circulated through social media. http://time.com/4517709/penn-state-clown-hunt/
The crowd outside East is growing by the minute. #PennStateClownWatch pic.twitter.com/guGak32P9G
— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 4, 2016
Merrimack College placed the campus on lockdown after receiving reports of an armed clown, but officials later discovered that it was a hoax.
Stay with Q30 News for more updates on this story.
