Masked suspect accused of terrorizing people in Philadelphia identified: Police
A man accused of harassing and terrorizing over a dozen people in Philadelphia while wearing a "distinctive" mask has been identified and may have fled the state, police announced Thursday.
The Philadelphia Police Department identified the suspect in the Aug. 12 assaults as 22-year-old Zymire Hughes.
"An arrest warrant is active," the Philadelphia Police Department said on social media while sharing a photo of the suspect. "Hughes may have fled PA and has ties to California and Nevada. We're working with the U.S. Marshals to bring him back to face justice."
The suspect is accused of accosting multiple people in the Center City area while wearing a "baby doll style Halloween mask" during a more than 30-minute period on the morning of Aug. 12, according to police.
"If Zymire Hughes was trying to scare people, make them run, who's scared now? Who's running now?" Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a press briefing on Thursday.
Krasner said the suspect is wanted on felony and misdemeanor charges related to one victim in the case while urging others who may have been victimized to come forward. He also asked anyone who knows of Hughes' whereabouts to contact police.
Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith told reporters on Thursday that there are believed to be 15 to 16 people that the suspect was running up to and "attempting to harass" while wearing a "Chucky-style Halloween mask."
In one instance captured on surveillance video, Smith said the masked suspect chased a female jogger whom he allegedly asked, "Are you ready to die?" The victim ran away screaming for help, "severely" injuring her leg during the ordeal, according to Smith.
The 40-year-old woman stumbled, sustaining an injury, police said. The victim is the only person to have come forward so far, and the suspect is sought on charges in connection with this incident, Krasner said.
Smith said the masked individual was seen holding a cellphone in his left hand and appeared to film the interactions. Smith said he believes the interactions were filmed for social media content, either for "his own sick personal amusement" or to post and possibly monetize.
"He's a punk who scared a lot of people for no good reason, and we're not going to tolerate it," Krasner said.
The individual was captured pulling the white mask down, exposing part of his face, with police releasing the image earlier this week while attempting to identify him.
Once apprehended, the suspect will face charges including terroristic threats, harassment, simple assault, reckless endangerment and intimidation, Smith previously told reporters.
Krasner said Hughes is currently on probation for a crime committed in Montgomery County, though he did not go into further detail.
