A nationwide manhunt is underway for a 22-year-old man accused of donning a horror movie mask, stalking pedestrians, and terrorizing a jogger near City Hall, authorities announced.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Zymire Hughes, who is currently on probation for a separate crime. Philadelphia police, working alongside the U.S. Marshals Service and law enforcement agencies in Nevada and Southern California, are actively tracking Hughes.
Officials believe he fled the state and noted that transportation hubs across the West Coast are being monitored for potential sightings.
“He’s a punk. I mean, that’s the bottom line,” said Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. “He’s a punk who scared a lot of people for no good reason, and we’re not going to tolerate it.”
Investigators said Hughes targeted at least six people in the early morning hours near 1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd. and surrounding Center City streets. Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith said the suspect was “attempting to scare or antagonize” pedestrians while wearing a “distinctive Chucky doll Halloween-style face mask” referencing the “Child’s Play” film franchise.
In one encounter captured on surveillance video, the suspect chased a 40-year-old female jogger while filming her on a cellphone and repeatedly shouting, “Are you ready to die?”
“The offender made threatening comments as they approached causing the complainant to stumble and sustain injury,” police said in an earlier statement. Smith noted that the woman fled while screaming for help and suffered a leg injury during the incident.
Officials stated that while Hughes never brandished a weapon, evidence suggests he staged the confrontations to generate social media content “for his own purposes.” Surveillance cameras captured Hughes briefly pulling the mask down, allowing detectives to confirm his identity from the exposed footage.
Prior to the chase, the individual was also seen harassing people near 15th and Chestnut streets, being denied service at a Dunkin’ location, and ducking into SEPTA’s Suburban Station.
“You think it’s funny to scare people?” Krasner added. “Well, get ready to get scared by us, because we got the handcuffs. We got the jail cell.”
Hughes faces potential charges including terroristic threats, harassment, simple assault, and intimidation. Authorities have asked anyone with information on Hughes’ location to call the Philadelphia Police Department tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or dial 911 immediately.
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