Teen charged in Poughkeepsie creepy clown threat

A 13-year-old has been charged by police after allegedly making a threat against Poughkeepsie Middle School as “Kluster thee Klown.”

The male teen from Ulster County faces a charge of making a terroristic threat, a felony, in Dutchess County Family Court, according to City of Poughkeepsie police.

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On Tuesday, city police said they were “looking for the source” of a threat of violence against Poughkeepsie Middle School made on a Facebook page belonging to “Kluster thee Klown,” according to Detective Lt. Matt Clark. On the profile the user wrote, “If you want to die come to PMS on Friday.”

According to a statement from police, the teen created the page and made the threat “to prank classmates from his old school.”

In response to the threat, the Poughkeepsie City School District posted on its website basic safety precautions students should take, including reporting if they are approached by strangers, travelling in groups or with adult supervision, and reporting threatening information found on social media.

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Dutchess County law enforcement officials said in a statement Tuesday that while reports of “creepy clowns” around the county have caused alarm, the reports are being investigated and “the vast majority” have been found “to be hoaxes and/or pranks.”

City police were assisted in their investigation by state police Troop K Computer Crimes Unit, the City of Poughkeepsie School District and the Dutchess County Attorney’s Office.

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Abbott Brant: abrant@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4809; Twitter: @AbbottBrantPoJo