SAN MARCOS, Texas – A clown reportedly attacked a student outside of a Texas State University dormitory on Monday, the latest in an epidemic of creepy clown attacks, sightings and threats nationwide in the last month.

Texas State University Police Sgt. Rolando Belmares told The Austin American-Statesman the clown chased and grabbed a woman as she left the on-campus housing at Bobcat Village Apartments near Bobcat Stadium around 7 p.m. Monday, but the victim was able to break free.

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The student was not injured and did not report the incident until Tuesday evening, Belmares said.

The victim described her attacker as a clown with a white face and black paint around the eyes, wearing a green wig and black-and-white jumpsuit, KXAN reports.

The clown was a roughly 6-foot 2-inch man, she said.

The incident occurred the same day San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District officials forced students inside while security combed the perimeter of schools in response to clown-related threats on Twitter, according to the news site.

Numerous other schools in the Austin area experienced the same phenomenon over the last week, as well.

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From KXAN:

In the past week, several local schools have investigated social media threats made by people dressed as clowns against the schools or claims of clown sightings on campus. Those threats increased this past weekend on social media for these Austin-area schools:

  • Austin High School
  • Eastside Memorial High School
  • LASA High School
  • McCallum High School
  • LBJ High School
  • Reagan Early College High School
  • Kealing Middle School
  • Martin Middle School
  • Henry Middle School

The clown sightings and threats are part of a larger nationwide epidemic that’s spread to more than a dozen states over the last month. The incidents – which now undoubtedly number more than 100 – include clowns attempting to lure children into the woods with candy or cash, clowns lurking around playgrounds and schools, clowns threatening to kill or abduct students from specific schools over social media, as well as physical confrontations, including a Tennessee student who was slashed on the arm and others who have been chased from school bus stops and playgrounds, EAGnews reports.

The clown incidents have prompted school officials to request police assistance, call Homeland Security, lockdown buildings, cancel classes, launch investigations, and issue warnings to parents about the potential safety threat.