{"id":269673,"date":"2026-08-21T18:38:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T18:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/269673\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T18:38:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T18:38:08","slug":"man-in-chucky-mask-terrorizing-philadelphia-has-deep-california-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/269673\/","title":{"rendered":"Man in Chucky mask terrorizing Philadelphia has deep California ties"},"content":{"rendered":"

The weirdo<\/a> terrorizing Philadelphians in a Chucky-style mask<\/a> has solid connections to California, police said, as he remains on the loose.<\/p>\n

The creep, unmasked as 22-year-old Zymire Hughes, allegedly threatened morning commuters last week, asking one woman jogging: \u201cAre you ready to die?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Chucky-masked weirdo terrorizing Philadelphians has solid connections to California, police said, as he remains on the loose. 6ABC<\/p>\n

Philadelphia police said Hughes may have fled Pennsylvania and is known to frequent the West Coast for work, specifically Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Philadelphia Police Dept<\/p>\n

Philadelphia police said Hughes may have fled Pennsylvania and is known to frequent the West Coast for work, specifically Los Angeles and Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a tendency to travel back and forth to the West Coast \u2014 California, the LA area \u2014 but also Las Vegas. And he would be for employment reasons,\u201d Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith\u00a0told ABC 6.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Police are working with the US Marshals to bring Hughes back for prosecution. He has an active arrest warrant. Hughes faces charges of terroristic threats, harassment, assault, reckless endangerment and intimidation. He also may face an additional weapons charge for implying he had a weapon to the jogger.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia officials believe Hughes creeped out at least 15 people during his spree last week. They believe he was looking for social media fame in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that he was doing this purely for social media content \u2014 either A, for his own sick personal amusement, or B, he had plans of posting it online at some point, and possibly monetizing it,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

The jogging woman he chased hurt her leg severely as she was fleeing and \u201cscreaming for help.\u201d 6ABC<\/p>\n

The jogging woman he chased hurt her leg as she was fleeing and \u201cscreaming for help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jameka, a witness, said she tried to warn the jogger, telling\u00a0WPVI<\/a>: \u201cI started to wave at her from across the intersection and say, \u2018Hey there\u2019s someone behind you, look behind you.’\u201d<\/p>\n

The man then turned his attention to Jameka after trying to enter a coffee shop, and she retaliated.<\/p>\n

She claims she kicked the brute in the chest, disorienting him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just seemed so disoriented about what his goals actually were. I had bags; he wasn\u2019t reaching for those,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Hughes fled to a City Center station of Philadelphia\u2019s rail system after the incident, police said. 6ABC<\/p>\n

A suspect wearing a Chucky doll face mask allegedly asked a female jogger, \u201cAre you ready to die?\u201d Philadelphia Police Department<\/p>\n

Hughes fled to a City Center station of Philadelphia\u2019s rail system after the incident, police said.<\/p>\n

Witnesses of the man\u2019s conduct are disturbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really unsettling just trying to get to work and have a kid like this actively terrorizing women,\u201d a witness at the coffee shop said. \u201cI really hope he is caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

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