MELBOURNE, Fla. —  Two men have been arrested after they dressed as clowns and threatened people with an ax or a baseball bat in north Melbourne, police said.

Melbourne police said Christopher McCarthy, 18, and Nicholas Antonellis, 20, donned clown costumes, and carried either an ax or a baseball bat while threatening or chasing people.

Police said two incidents were reported Oct. 15 near Tropic Lane and Eau Gallie Boulevard, and a third was reported near NASA Boulevard five days later.

In all the incidents, at least one of the men jumped in front of a person and threatened to kill him or her, police said.

The department’s community response team followed up on several leads, which they said led officers to McCarthy and Antonellis.

McCarthy is facing an aggravated assault charge and Antonellis is facing a principal in the first degree charge.

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