Albuquerque Police(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) — Three “juvenile clowns” were taken into custody in Albuquerque, New Mexico, under the influence of marijuana, according to police.
After a report of a “clown sighting” Sunday morning with one clown reportedly “brandishing a firearm,” Foothills officers responded to the call outside Babies “R” Us at 45 Hotel Circle NE in Albuquerque, police said.
Albuquerque Police said the three boys, two 13-year-olds and a 14-year-old, dropped their clown masks and firearm upon officers’ arrival, and fled on foot across I-25. They were then taken into custody without incident, according to Albuquerque Police.
“After interviewing the individuals it was discovered that they were under the influence of marijuana and were making extremely poor choices following in the national social media trend of ‘clown spotting,'” Albuquerque Police said in a statement.
Police said the firearm found at the scene was actually an air soft pistol, but it did not have any markings indicating it was not real.
The three teens were cleared and released to their parents after being cited for controlled access roadways restricted, according to Albuquerque Police.
“We would like to emphasize how dangerous this situation could have been, dressing like clowns while holding what appeared to be a firearm and terrorizing the public will always illicit a police response,” Albuquerque Police said in a statement.
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