There has been another creepy clown encounter in Columbus, Ohio. A 14 years old boy heading to a school bus stop on Tuesday morning told police that he was chased by a black-clad man armed with a knife, and wearing a clown mask.

Police spokeswoman Denise Alex-Bouzounis said, "The victim was able to get away from him by throwing a rock at him," She also added that police have now been canvassing the area in search of the suspect and keeping a close eye on the bus stop in north Columbus near where the incident occurred.

She said, "We don't know whether this was a prank or not, but we are taking it seriously”.

The alleged attack on the teenager came while police down in South Carolina were investigating multiple reports of menacing clowns allegedly trying to lure children to an abandoned house in the woods.

Alex-Bouzounis said that they're aware of the South Carolina reports but told, "we're investigating locally at first."

Residents in the north Columbus neighborhood said that they had been rattled by the reported clown attack.

Tombi Williams, a mother of two who lives in the neighborhood, told, "I did not think it was here, but it goes to show things crazy and stupid can happen everywhere”.

Down south, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office had extra officers patrolling in and around the Fleetwood Manor apartment complex, where they'd gotten reports of "recent clown activity."

Numerous residents, including some children, have told police that on Aug. 21 they saw the clowns skulking around the woods and flashing green laser lights.

By Prakriti Neogi