Authorities have identified a Philadelphia man suspected of donning a Chucky mask to chase a woman through the streets. The man is now believed to be evading capture, officials reported.
The suspect, 22-year-old Zymire Hughes, allegedly pursued a 40-year-old woman during her early morning jog around 5:30 a.m. last Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Police Department revealed that Hughes might have left the state and is thought to have connections in California and Nevada.
Surveillance footage released by officers shows the masked individual trailing the woman as she crossed an intersection.
Police reported that the suspect issued threatening remarks while concealing his hand behind his back, resulting in the victim stumbling and sustaining an injury.
The victim was seen on video having turned around in an apparent attempt to lose the masked figure, but he quickly changed course to continue his pursuit.
A second camera showed the jogger running down a five-lane road with the suspect trailing behind her.
He was seemingly unable to catch up with her and changed his route while the woman was just feet ahead.
Zymire Hughes, 22, was identified as the suspect who chased a 40-year-old female jogger during her early morning run at around 5.30am last Wednesday, police said
The lone jogger was chased by a man wearing a Chucky doll mask, who allegedly terrorized multiple people, laughing at his victims and asked if they were ‘ready to die,’ police said
Investigators released several photos of the suspect, which show him sporting the Chucky mask and a blue plaid backpack
He crossed multiple lanes of traffic and diverted to the sidewalk on the right-hand side of the street as the runner continued to jog down the road.
The suspect had allegedly terrorized multiple people in the community, with police claiming he laughed at his victims and asked if they are ‘ready to die.’
A second victim claimed that the suspect appeared to be filming the nightmarish encounters on his cell phone.
Jameka, who declined to share her last name, told WPVI that the man approached her with his phone in hand just moments after he had chased another woman.
‘I started to wave at her from across the intersection and say, “Hey, there’s someone behind you – look behind you!” And she heard me, and then she started to run away,’ she claimed.
She said the suspect then tried to force his way into a local coffee shop, but after being denied entry, turned his attention towards her.
The alleged victim screamed ‘don’t follow me’ and put up her hands in a fighting stance, she recalled.
‘I blocked my face, making sure my centerline was protected. And then he also started to put his hands up but I could tell that he’d never been in a fight before,’ she told the news outlet.
Cameras caught the suspect chasing the 40-year-old near City Hall around 5.30am
Jameka, who claimed she was also terrorized by the suspect, said he appeared to be filming the nightmarish encounters on his cell phone
The suspect, seen with a phone in his hand, allegedly terrorized multiple people in the community
Jameka, who described the suspect as appearing ‘disoriented,’ claims he ran away after she kicked him.
Officers say the suspect will face several serious charges once he is apprehended.
Anyone with information about his identity or whereabouts is asked to call the Philadelphia police at 215-686-8477.
This is a breaking news story.