Juggalos Arrested After Series Of Assaults And Robberies

07/17/06 5:30pm

It appears that some Insane Clown Posse fans took the rap group's 2000 song, "Still Stabbin'," a little too literally when they allegedly went on a crime spree at a suburban Tacoma, Washington park last month.

Seven young people have been arrested in connection with the violent attacks, and police have issued warrants for a couple more. The assailants were calling out "Woo! Woo! Juggalo!" said deputy prosecutor Phil Sorenson in an Associated Press report, while robbing and beating people while armed with hatchets and machetes. Some victims were allegedly threatened with decapitation.

ICP fans, known as "Juggalos," often dress like their heroes. While the accused in this case weren't wearing the black-and-white face make-up associated with the veteran Detroit shock rappers, Sorenson said that there were other similarities.

"They're not dressed as clowns, but they tend to be wearing clothing popular with the Insane Clown Posse crowd — some sort of clothing line that actually is featured by this group. And a lot of their clothing actually has clowns on it, some kind of clown insignia."

Some victims, who were attacked on the nights of June 19 and 20, were sent to hospital with injuries that included "at least one broken jaw, one broken nose and a broken face."

One girl was apparently ordered to take her pants off, but she managed to escape.

"They're very aggressive," Sorenson said.

The seven people arrested so far range in age from 14 to 29. Three of them have pleaded not guilty to three counts each of first-degree robbery and six counts each of second-degree assault.