Zymire Hughes, a 22-year-old man, has been arrested in Las Vegas after allegedly terrorizing residents in Philadelphia while wearing a Halloween mask. He is currently being held in Clark County jail, with a court hearing scheduled for Thursday morning. Hughes is wanted in Pennsylvania on multiple charges, including aggravated assault and making terroristic threats.
One reported incident occurred on August 12, when Hughes allegedly approached a woman while wearing the mask, asked if she was 'ready to die,' and chased her after she ran away, resulting in injuries to her spine and hamstring, according to the Philadelphia district attorney’s office.
District Attorney Larry Krasner stated, 'We take it very seriously any time someone thinks it is funny or entertaining to terrorize and harass individuals in any neighborhood. He will be caught and held accountable for his crimes.'
Concerns had arisen that Hughes might travel to Los Angeles, as Philadelphia police Captain Jason Smith noted that Hughes has a tendency to travel between the West Coast, California, and Las Vegas.
Hughes was arrested by the Nevada Violent Offender Task Force after being tracked to a southeast Las Vegas apartment. Robert Clark, a supervisory deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service, reported that Hughes had been a resident of Las Vegas since February and had fled Pennsylvania on August 19, first flying to Orlando and then to Las Vegas.
After the news of his alleged actions broke, Hughes moved to an apartment in Las Vegas, where he remained for five days. Marshals began surveillance on the apartment building and arrested him around 8 p.m. when he exited the apartment. Clark noted that Hughes attempted to escape his handcuffs but was subdued by officers.
Clark remarked, 'Tonight, the fear that one man brought to the Philadelphia community comes to an end.'