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Metro Detroit Halloween Shop Stops Selling Clown Costumes Because Of National Craze

CENTER LINE, Mich. (WWJ) -- A Michigan costume shop is taking action after the rash of incidents involving creepy clowns throughout the nation over the past couple of weeks.

The Crypt Keepers Halloween Emporium in Center Line has stopped selling clown costumes because owner Dave Douglas says he is afraid someone is going to eventually get hurt during one of the pranks.

"I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if some 12-year-old kid came in here and bought a clown costume and got hurt," Douglas said. "Look at everything that happened up at Michigan State with the supposed clown sighting -- there was 30 kids running around with baseball bats and golf clubs."

Reports of clowns around multiple schools across metro Detroit and the country have caused concern within many communities, but in some cases officials say it's just a case of rumors spread by social media.

Two women and one young child in Sterling Heights were assaulted last Tuesday night by men dressed as clowns according to reports. In the first incident a boy was attacked by a man wearing a clown outfit and wielding a knife in a trailer park in — the boy was escaped but was cut.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig said there haven't been any reports yet about clowns committing crimes within the city and that officers can't just go around arresting people dressed as clowns.

Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw says there is some concern that people may carry out unprovoked attacks on people in clown masks or costumes – especially with Halloween approaching.

"What I think we've seen now with social media that things can get out of hand pretty quickly," Shaw said, speaking live on WWJ Newsradio 950. "What we're afraid of is that someone is going to go out there with a joke in their mind or try to scare somebody, and somebody's going to end up either getting beat up, or worse, shot."

Douglas said he thinks the whole phenomenon has been blown out of proportion and will eventually die down. He is still selling higher end collectible clown masks.

"So if we're not selling them and we're not participating in anything like that then I at least know that I'm keeping kids in my neighborhood safe," Douglas said.

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