The terrifying clown trend that has hit other cities in the Seattle area and across the country has made its way to Kenmore and Bothell.

At approximately 9:22 p.m. Oct. 3, the King County Sheriff’s Office received a call stating that a person dressed in a white and red clown suit with his or her face covered was standing near the 18000 block of 83rd Avenue NE in Kenmore, eventually heading in the direction of Bothell High School.

“This seems to be a national trend with people dressing up like clowns and showing up on the side of the road or near wooded areas,” Sgt. Cindi West of the King County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Bothell Police Department tweeted about the incident at 11:11 p.m. Oct. 3, saying a caller reported a suspicious subject “dressed like a clown” near Bothell High. The caller was referred to the King County Sheriff’s Office as it contracts with the City of Kenmore.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office who responded to the area did not locate the clown.

In response to the local and national clown reports, the Northshore School District posted the following message on its website Oct. 4: “Families have been asking about local and national reports of people walking around towns and neighborhoods dressed as ‘creepy clowns’ and opening related social media accounts. Local law enforcement agencies are investigating any local reports and have not identified any threats against Northshore students, staff or facilities. Safety is a top priority for Northshore School District, and we will continue to communicate with police to monitor these reports.”

As with any suspicious activity, the authorities direct people to call 911 if they see a clown behaving suspiciously. However, while a random person walking down the street dressed as a clown may be frightening to people, it is not illegal.

“Dressing up like a clown is not in itself illegal, but we have had reported cases of clowns trespassing on others’ property, which is a crime,” West said.