A person donning a Pink Panther-like costume has sparked panic in Fredericksburg after he was accused of “chasing” and hunting down local Virginia school kids. A person donning a cartoonish Pink Panther-like costume has sparked panic in Fredericksburg after he was accused of “chasing” and hunting down local Virginia school kids in broad daylight. Police are on the lookout for the person, seen in a video doing the rounds on social media, who reportedly followed children in Fredericksburg, Virginia, last week. The person nearly snatched up a little girl, per the New York Post.Creepy figure in bizarre pink costume ‘chasing’ kids sparks panic in Virginia (Fredericksburg Police Department/Facebook)The Fredericksburg Police Department shared an update in a Facebook post, writing, “On Thursday, May 14, 2026, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Fredericksburg E-911 Center received a report of suspicious activity in the Lafayette Boulevard corridor. The suspect (pictured) is described as wearing a pink costume and was reported to have been following children.Read More | Fredericksburg police searching for man in creepy Pink Panther-like costume hunting down school kids; eerie video viralThe alleged predator reportedly trailed a group of terrified children fresh off the school bus in Fredericksburg. A shocking video shows him prowling along the grassy roadside near the Lafayette Boulevard corridor.Incident sparks panicOne X host says the figure “crossed the street and started CHASING all four kids and GRABBED the smallest girl.”Concerned Netizens weighed in on the comment section, with one user writing, “Woah! Why didn’t people stop and help these children? I always worry about the deaf, nonverbal and autistic children that are vulnerable.” “There are lots and lots of creepy people out there. What is he going to do with kids?” wrote one user, while another said, “What level of hell have we just descended into.”“I imagine that many child trafficking routes etc have been shut down by the current administration so they are resorting to desperate ploys.” wrote a user, while another said, “Hard to fathom this perv hasn't been arrested yet.” One wrote, “This is what happens when you have a Governor who embraces lawlessness and an AG that has no moral compass.”Read More | Virginia: Amid missing children rumors, Netizens say ‘creepy’ ice cream truck being spotted every nightA local resident shared images of the man in the pink costume on Facebook, saying he “stared down my son and one of the older neighbors from across the road.” The children said that there was a hole in the costume near the person’s eye, and the individual looked like a man, the resident added.“Had facial hair and he appeared to have a tan complexion,” the post said.Anyone who has seen or interacted with the suspect is urged to contact the Fredericksburg Police Department at 540-373-3122. To make an anonymous tip, one can send a text to “847-411” and text “FPDtip” followed by their tip.Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read MoreSee Less