A man accused of terrorizing at least a half-dozen people while wearing a Chucky mask near Philadelphia City Hall earlier this month was detained in Las Vegas on Tuesday, according to authorities.
Zymire Hughes, 22, was detained at 8 p.m. at an apartment complex in southeast Las Vegas and is being held in the Clark County Detention Center for extradition to Philadelphia, according to the US Marshals Service.
According to U.S. Marshals, Hughes has lived in Las Vegas since February but has family in Philadelphia. They suspect Hughes stayed in the city for a few weeks. On August 19, he flew from Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing, New Jersey, to Orlando, Florida, before continuing to Vegas, according to reports. Hughes terrified Philadelphia locals while hiding behind a Chucky-style Halloween mask, believing he could avoid law police. “He was mistaken,” said Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force. “His arrest should send a clear message: you can hide your face, but you can’t hide from the elite investigators of the U.S. Marshal Service.”
Hughes allegedly followed and threatened at least six persons around City Hall in Center City on August 12 for about 15 minutes, according to police. Investigators believe Hughes asked one woman if she was “ready to die.”
According to authorities, the threats started around 5:18 a.m. on August 12 at the junction of 15th and Chestnut streets. Hughes allegedly approached many persons, seeking to terrify and provoke them, according to authorities.
Hughes approached a Dunkin’ Donuts on the 1500 block of Chestnut Street about two minutes later, according to police, but was turned away because he was wearing the mask. Around 5:25 a.m., Hughes was captured on CCTV racing toward individuals at the southwest corner of Penn Square at City Hall. Hughes then pursued a man on the west side of 15th Street and approached a woman running around 15th and Market Streets. According to authorities, Hughes approached the woman and asked, “Are you ready to die?” The woman fled, injuring her leg, according to authorities.
Hughes fled to Suburban Station after receiving threats, according to authorities.
Hughes allegedly had a cellphone with the light turned on and looked to be filming the encounters, according to Philadelphia Police Captain Jason Smith.
Clark stated that Hughes has been charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and other charges.
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