By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Hays Police Department is investigating two separate incidents of alleged clown sightings in Hays this week.

According to Lt. Tim Greenwood, the first reported clown sighting was early Wednesday morning in the 200 block of East 22nd. A second clown was reported in the 100 block of West 35th Thursday night.

In both incidents, Greenwood said, the reporting party got into a verbal confrontation with the individual dressed as a clown, causing the person to run away. Officers searched the area, Greenwood said but were unable to located the alleged clown.

The Hays Police Department encourages residents to report suspicious activity.

“If people see something like this, go ahead and give us a call,” Greenwood said. “Don’t confront any suspicious person.”

Greenwood said, in some instances, the people “causing terror” by dressing as clowns could be charged with a crime because, “we have people in the public that are becoming alarmed by this behavior.”