Philadelphia police identify suspect who wore Halloween mask during early-morning assaults
Police have named 22-year-old Zymire Hughes as the man who chased and threatened pedestrians in Center City while wearing a Chucky-style mask, and an arrest warrant has been issued.
Philadelphia police announced Thursday that they have identified the man who terrorized pedestrians in Center City early on August 15 while wearing a distinctive Chucky-style Halloween mask. The suspect has been named as 22-year-old Zymire Hughes, and an arrest warrant has been issued for charges that may include terroristic threats, harassment, simple assault and intimidation.
According to Police Captain Jason Smith, Hughes confronted 15 to 16 people between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., running up to individuals near City Hall and at SEPTA’s Suburban Station. In one incident a woman jogging near City Hall was shouted at with the question, "Are you ready to die?" She fled, injuring her leg in the process. Smith said the injuries will require extensive medical treatment.
Surveillance video shows Hughes entering Suburban Station around 5:35 a.m., where SEPTA police asked him to remove the mask. He is seen concealing his identity, holding a cellphone, and later boarding a Route 33 bus that took him to the 23rd and Venango area, where he lives. Police released an image of him partially uncovered after he pulled the mask down.
District Attorney Larry Krasner warned that the suspect will face the full force of the legal system, stating, "You think it's funny to scare people? Well, get ready to get scared by us because we got the handcuffs, we got the jail cell, we got the Philly jury that's going to tell you it's not funny at all."
Officials said Hughes may have left Pennsylvania and has ties to California and Nevada. The U.S. Marshals Service is assisting local authorities in locating him. Anyone with information is asked to call the Philadelphia police tip line at 215-686-8477.