Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Alleged Subway Clown Arrested For Menacing Insists It Was 'Misunderstanding'
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 14, 2016
Modified Oct 14, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 14, 2016
Modified Oct 14, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Police have caught the man accused of threatening a teenaged boy at a Manhattan subway station—while he was wearing a clown mask—and charged him with menacing. But the clown in question maintains it was just a "misunderstanding."
Performer Tom Smith turned himself into police yesterday, saying the whole incident was overblown. A 16-year-old boy had told cops he was trying to exit a northbound 6 train at the 96th Street station on Lexington Avenue on October 5th at about 1:55 p.m. when a belligerent man in a clown mask blocked the door. According to the NYPD: "The victim and the unidentified male made physical contact as the victim stepped onto the platform. As the victim continued to exit the station, he turned around and noticed the male approaching him while displaying a knife. The victim continued to exit the station running to the street when the unidentified male fled to parts unknown."
Police then released surveillance footage and images of the suspect, who was not wearing a mask at the time, but does appear to be wearing some sort of clown costume.
After seeing his image, Smith contacted the police (and WCBS 2) went to the 19th Precinct. He told the news station that he was being railroaded because of rampant, contagious Clown Fear. "I’m just going to make a brief statement," Smith told WCBS 2. "I do want to go in and straighten this out."
Smith was given a ticket and will be in court at a later date.
Tagged
arrest
clown
menacing
nypd
subway
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Early Addition: Who's giving out those chic little Nordic gummies this Halloween?
Because the status trick-or-treat candy has arrived, here are your early links: NYC Marathon-themed early voting sticker, New Jersey's Socialist Party on the rise, Herald Square billboard fight and more.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 26, 2026 at 10:01 a.m. ET
In East Brooklyn, aging NYCHA homes get a $636M upgrade
The improvements to at the Reid & Park Rock developments come has the agency wrestles with a multibillion-dollar backlog in needed repairs.
By
Willow Higgins
News
In East Brooklyn, aging NYCHA homes get a $636M upgrade
The improvements to at the Reid & Park Rock developments come has the agency wrestles with a multibillion-dollar backlog in needed repairs.
By
Willow Higgins
What NYers can expect as open enrollment for health insurance begins
By
Caroline Lewis
Why New Yorkers should care about bats beyond spooky season
By
Catalina Gonella
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .