Man in Chucky Mask Arrested After Alleged Threats in Philadelphia

Updated: August 25, 2026

A man accused of scaring multiple people while wearing a Chucky-style mask near Philadelphia City Hall has been arrested in Las Vegas. The U.S. Marshals Service announced Tuesday that Zymire Hughes, 22, was taken into custody at an apartment complex in southeast Las Vegas around 8 p.m.

Hughes is being held in the Clark County Detention Center and is awaiting extradition to Philadelphia. Officials noted Hughes has lived in Las Vegas since February but has family ties in Philadelphia, where he stayed for a couple of weeks. Authorities reported he left Philadelphia on August 19, flying from Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing, New Jersey, to Orlando, Florida, before heading to Las Vegas.

By hiding behind a Chucky-style Halloween mask, Hughes terrorized Philadelphia residents and thought he could elude law enforcement. He was mistaken, said Robert Clark, the 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 threatened at least six people near City Hall in Center City on August 12 during a 15-minute period. Police reported that Hughes asked one woman if she was ready to die.

The incidents started around 5:18 a.m. at the intersection of 15th and Chestnut streets. Hughes reportedly ran up to several people in an attempt to intimidate them. At 5:20 a.m., he entered a Dunkin’ location on the 1500 block of Chestnut Street, but was denied service due to the mask. Hughes was captured on camera running towards people near Penn Square at City Hall shortly after.

Police noted that Hughes chased a man on the west side of 15th Street and confronted a woman jogging at 15th and Market streets. He allegedly stopped in front of her and asked, Are you ready to die? The woman ran away and injured her leg in the process. Hughes was last seen fleeing to Suburban Station, according to police.

Investigators mentioned that Hughes appeared to be filming the incidents with a cellphone light on, as Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith remarked earlier. Hughes faces charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and related offenses.

Tags: Pennsylvania, Center City, Las Vegas, Philadelphia