Philadelphia Chucky Mask Suspect Arrested in Las Vegas After Center City Assault Allegations

U.S. Marshals take Philadelphia Chucky mask suspect into custody in Nevada

PHILADELPHIA — A man accused of terrorizing pedestrians in Philadelphia’s Center City while wearing a Chucky-style mask was arrested in Las Vegas after allegedly fleeing the city, authorities said Tuesday. Zymire Hughes was taken into custody by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

The arrest follows allegations that Hughes approached more than a dozen people in Center City early last Wednesday while wearing a mask resembling the killer doll from the Child’s Play horror franchise. Philadelphia police said the encounters culminated in an alleged assault involving a jogger who was chased and asked, “Do you want to die?”

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said last week that the warrant for Hughes was based on allegations of felony and misdemeanor assault. The jogger was injured while fleeing, Krasner said. Authorities have indicated that additional charges remain possible following the suspect’s arrest.

Security-camera trail led investigators to apartment building

Investigators said they used security-camera footage to trace the masked man’s movements through Center City to an apartment building where Hughes was believed to live. At a news conference last week, police said three people identified Hughes as the person seen in the mask.

Police allege that Hughes fled after the confrontation with the jogger. He was later contacted by regional transit police at a train station and told to remove the mask, authorities said, but allegedly fled again.

Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith said officers received information several days after the reported incidents that the suspect had packed his belongings and left the apartment. The later arrest in Las Vegas ended a search that had drawn heightened attention because of the unusual mask and the allegations that pedestrians had been targeted in a heavily traveled part of downtown Philadelphia.

Authorities said they believe the suspect may have engaged in similar conduct before and urged any additional potential victims or witnesses to contact police. The Philadelphia Police Department has continued to seek information related to the Center City encounters.

Authorities cite alleged social-media motive

Krasner said Hughes had two TikTok accounts and one Instagram account, and alleged that the mask was used to attract attention to his online presence. The district attorney said the city would not tolerate behavior that allegedly intimidated residents and visitors.

“We’re not having it in this city,” Krasner said last week. “We are not tolerating it.”

Krasner also said Hughes was on probation for an unspecified offense in neighboring Montgomery County. It was not immediately clear whether Hughes had obtained a lawyer. Public defender offices in Clark County, Nevada, and Philadelphia did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Tuesday.

Clark County Detention Center booking records showed Hughes being held without bail, with a court hearing scheduled for Thursday morning. Authorities have not announced when he may be returned to Philadelphia, and the investigation into the Center City allegations remains ongoing.