A disturbing early-morning encounter in Philadelphia left several people frightened after a man wearing a frightening Chucky-style mask allegedly approached, chased and harᴀssed strangers in the streets.

Police say the incidents unfolded within roughly 15 minutes on August 12 near Philadelphia City Hall, where the masked man allegedly targeted at least six people seemingly at random.

The bizarre series of encounters reportedly began shortly after 5:18 a.m., when the man was seen around 15th and Chestnut Streets. According to investigators, he appeared to be filming his interactions with people on his cellphone while repeatedly approaching strangers and attempting to frighten or antagonize them.

At one point, the suspect reportedly entered a Dunkin’ Donuts wearing the distinctive Halloween-style mask. Employees refused to serve him because of his erratic behavior.

He then continued through the area, approaching more people.

A Terrifying Encounter With a Jogger
One of the most frightening encounters involved a 40-year-old woman who was out jogging.

According to Philadelphia police, the masked man approached her while holding his cellphone up toward her face and repeatedly asked whether she was “ready to die.”

The woman became frightened and immediately tried to get away.

As she fled, she screamed for help and injured her leg, according to police.

The encounter was captured by surveillance cameras, giving investigators important evidence as they worked to identify the person behind the mask.

Another Woman Decided to Stand Her Ground
Not everyone responded by running away.

A woman named Jameka said she noticed what was happening and attempted to warn the jogger. When the masked man continued approaching, Jameka confronted him herself.

She later told reporters that she kicked him in the chest.

According to Jameka, the man appeared confused and did not seem to have a clear objective. She said the encounter gave her the impression that he was behaving erratically rather than attempting to steal from anyone.

Her intervention eventually caused the masked man to move away.

Police Initially Described Him Only as a Young Man
When authorities first appealed to the public for help, investigators described the suspect as a Black male believed to be between 16 and 20 years old and approximately 5-foot-8.

He was reportedly wearing dark clothing and the distinctive Chucky-style mask, making him difficult to identify.

Police said he appeared to be targeting both men and women and may have been recording the encounters for his own purposes.

Investigators urged anyone who encountered the man or had information about his idenтιтy to contact police rather than approaching him themselves.

Suspect Later Identified
The investigation took a major turn two days later.

Philadelphia police identified the suspect as 22-year-old Zymire Hughes and issued an arrest warrant for him. Authorities said Hughes may have left Pennsylvania and has connections to California and Nevada, where investigators believe he may travel for work.

Police said he could face charges including terroristic threats, harᴀssment, simple ᴀssault, reckless endangerment and intimidation. A weapons-related charge was also mentioned because his arm was reportedly positioned behind his back while he allegedly threatened the jogger, even though surveillance footage did not clearly show a weapon.

As investigators continue working to locate him, the bizarre encounters have left people who work and exercise in the area shaken.

For those who witnessed the incidents, what began as a strange sight — a person walking through Philadelphia in a horror-movie mask — quickly became something much more frightening.

And for the jogger who found herself being chased through the early-morning streets, the question allegedly repeated by the masked stranger was anything but a joke.

Source: New York Post