Warning that “stupid could be deadly right now,” Peachtree City issued an alert to residents over the weekend asking that neither adults nor teenagers dress up as clowns and pull pranks.

Reports of such incidents in other states have caused alarm and even prompted school closings. The city said that “what might be intended as a joke could easily endanger not only a frightened child or adult” but also could result in the injury or death of the perpetrator if someone felt threatened.

Residents were told to report any suspicious activity, clown-related or not, to 911 or to the non-emergency police line at 770-461-HELP.