Philadelphia police seek suspect in Chucky mask who confronted pedestrians near City Hall
Police are searching for a young man wearing a horror-movie mask who has approached and chased people around Center City, including an incident where a woman kicked him after he tried to follow her.
Police in Philadelphia are looking for a male suspect, estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old, who has been approaching pedestrians while wearing a Chucky-style Halloween mask. The individual has been seen chasing both men and women around City Hall in the early morning hours and has been asked to leave several businesses.
One woman, identified only by her first name Jameka, said she intervened when the suspect tried to follow her after he had chased another person. She warned a passerby, then confronted the masked man outside a La Colombe coffee shop, shouting “Don’t follow me” and raising her hands as if to fight. She reported that she kicked him in the chest, after which he fled.
"I figured if anything was going to happen, I wanted to see it with my own two eyes," Jameka said.
Another witness, Kate Egan, told reporters that the suspect threatened a coworker inside the coffee shop before a security guard intervened. She described the situation as “disturbing” and expressed concern for other commuters.
"It’s really unsettling just trying to get to work and have a kid like this actively terrorizing women," Egan said.
Surveillance video captured the suspect running after a woman who was jogging near City Hall on a Wednesday morning, during which the woman screamed for help. Philadelphia Police Captain Jason Smith said the suspect stopped abruptly, headed north on 15th Street, and then rode the escalators at Suburban Station.
"This happened right outside of City Hall, so you think we’re not going to do our darndest to try and locate this individual?" Smith said.
Police have released a photo showing the upper portion of the suspect’s face and noted that he typically approaches with a cell phone in one hand, the other hand behind his back, and sometimes laughs while asking people if they are “ready to die.” Authorities do not believe he is armed but say he could face multiple serious charges. Anyone with information is asked to call the police tip line at 215-686-8477.