Masked man chased six pedestrians in Philadelphia
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Police in Philadelphia are searching for a 22-year-old suspect accused of terrorising pedestrians while wearing a mask resembling the killer doll from the Child's Play films. The incidents happened near City Hall at about 5.30am on the 12th, when the man allegedly followed and chased at least six people within roughly 30 minutes while recording on his phone. Several victims said he asked, “Are you ready to die?”, while one woman was injured as she ran away and another woman confronted him and kicked him in the chest. Investigators believe the encounters may have been staged as a prank video aimed at attracting online attention, and police have issued an arrest warrant on charges including terroristic threats, harassment and assault-related offences.
Key Points
- Police said the suspect wore black clothing, carried a blue-and-black checkered backpack, and roamed streets, shops and an underground concourse near Philadelphia City Hall
- One female jogger, described as 40 years old, said the masked man chased her and repeatedly asked if she was ready to die, causing her to fall and suffer an injury
- Another victim, actor Jameka Wilson, said she judged he was unarmed, faced him directly, and used stage-combat training to kick him in the chest.
- Police said there was no evidence he carried a weapon, though one witness said he held a phone in his left hand and kept his right hand behind his back
- Philadelphia police later identified the suspect as Zymire Hughes, about 1.73 metres tall, and said they believe he may already have fled Pennsylvania
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the case is a reminder that apparently theatrical or social-media-driven stunts can still amount to criminal intimidation when strangers are threatened in public. It also shows how quickly fear can spread in busy city centres before sunrise, even when police say there is no evidence a suspect was armed.