A 22-year-old man accused of chasing and threatening pedestrians around Philadelphia City Hall while wearing a distinctive Halloween mask has been arrested in Las Vegas, authorities said.
Zymire Hughes was taken into custody at about 8 p.m. Tuesday at an apartment complex in southeast Las Vegas, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. He is being held at the Clark County Detention Center while authorities work to return him to Pennsylvania.
The arrest comes less than two weeks after Philadelphia police said a masked man frightened multiple people in Center City during the early morning hours of Aug. 12.
Philadelphia police initially asked the public for help identifying the suspect after a 40-year-old woman was chased near 1500 JFK Boulevard. According to the department, the woman was confronted by a masked man who made threatening comments while holding one hand behind his back. She stumbled while trying to get away and was injured.
Investigators later identified the suspect as Hughes, and an arrest warrant was issued.
What police say happened in Center City
Police said the incidents involved multiple pedestrians in the area around City Hall. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from several locations as they worked to identify the man.
The mask was described by authorities and local reports as resembling a Chucky-style or baby-doll Halloween mask. Police said Hughes approached people and appeared to be trying to frighten or antagonize them.
In one encounter near City Hall, police said Hughes approached a woman who was jogging and asked whether she was “ready to die.” The woman ran from the area and was injured while trying to escape.
Investigators also said Hughes was seen entering Suburban Station after the confrontation. Philadelphia police said the suspect eventually left the area.
Authorities have also been investigating whether the encounters were being recorded for possible social-media content. Earlier in the investigation, police said Hughes appeared to have a cellphone with its light on while approaching people.
Suspect had ties to Nevada
Philadelphia police said when Hughes was identified, investigators believed he might have left Pennsylvania and noted connections to California and Nevada.
The U.S. Marshals Service later located him in Las Vegas and arrested him there. He remains in custody in Clark County while the extradition process moves forward.
Hughes faces charges including aggravated assault, terroristic threats and related offenses, according to authorities.
The case remains pending, and the allegations against Hughes have not been proven in court.
Philadelphia police had urged anyone who encounters a suspect connected to the case not to approach him and instead contact authorities.
