Philadelphia police have identified a suspect, named as Zymire Hughes, accused of terrorising women in the city while wearing a mask resembling the horror-film character Chucky. Investigators believe the man may have fled the state after a spate of frightening encounters in which he pursued residents on the street, prompting alarm across affected neighbourhoods and drawing significant local media coverage.

The case gained wider attention after one victim, a Philadelphia woman, said she used stage combat training to fend off the masked attacker as he chased residents, kicking him away before he could catch her. Police continue to investigate the string of incidents and are working to locate Hughes, with the search reportedly extending beyond Pennsylvania as authorities pursue leads on his whereabouts.