‘Killer clown’ craze now in Sweden as teen stabbed by masked assailant

Swedish police have launched a manhunt after a 19-year-old was stabbed by a man wearing a clown mask south of Goteborg on Thursday night. The attack is thought to be connected with the worldwide ‘killer clown’ craze tormenting communities this Halloween season.

The attacker, who wore a clown mask, blue jeans and a yellow jacket during the assault in Varberg, in the south west of the country, wounded the teen’s shoulder with a sharp object, according to local paper GP.

Although police dog units were dispatched overnight, the attacker still hasn’t been found.

There have been two similar cases reported in Sweden in recent weeks, where people dressed as clowns were seen outside schools scaring children.

“This is not a crime as such but very, very unpleasant,” police spokeswoman Ulla Brehm told GP. “It is not funny when people are being scared.”

The incidents “likely had spread via social media from the United States,” she added.