A masked suspect has been terrorising residents of Philadelphia, chasing them and issuing threats, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
The suspect, who appears in surveillance footage wearing a scary doll mask reminiscent of the horror movie character Chucky, allegedly threatened and chased at least half a dozen people near City Hall last week.
One incident on 12 August captured the masked man chasing a woman during a morning run at about 5:30 local time. He spoke threateningly, asking the woman if she was “ready to die,” and then forced her to stumble, causing her to injure herself before fleeing into an underground rail station.
Photographs and a short video released by police show the suspect holding a cell‑phone with its light on, suggesting he may be filming the encounters. Police Captain Jason Smith said it was unclear whether these incidents were part of a social media trend.
He added that the suspect faces charges of terroristic threats, simple assault and other offences. Residents who witnessed the masked man have been asked to come forward and provide any additional information.
One witness, Luanda Marinho, described meeting a friend for a run when the man started asking, “Do you want to race me? I bet I’m faster.” She said the encounters felt like a twisted game and noted that the group was considering changing their running route.
