78-year-old man stabbed by teen in clown costume was likely making surprise visit to sister

A 78-year-old man was likely making one of his regular, unannounced visits to his older sister when he tragically crossed paths with a knife-wielding teenager in a clown costume, the victim’s family said Friday.

A 78-year-old man was likely making one of his regular, unannounced visits to his older sister when he tragically crossed paths with a knife-wielding teenager in a clown costume, the victim’s family said Friday.

John Wesley Allen was found dead Monday night in East St. Louis, Illinois, “in a random attack by a suspect wearing a clown outfit,” state police said.

The intersection where he was found is near a bus stop Allen would frequent for surprise visits with his sister Delores Fowler, the victim’s family said.

“He’d never make an appointment. He’d just call me and say, ‘Are you at home?’ Then I’d say, ‘Yeah, I’ll come get you at the MetroLink station or the bus stop,’” Fowler, 82, told NBC News.

Loved ones, who said Allen was a retired St. Louis bus driver, said they worried about Allen traveling on public transit alone, but the senior citizen enjoyed being out and about. Allen drove a bus for Metro Transit in St. Louis from 1977 until his retirement in 1994, according to the agency and his family.