Clapham alkaline chemical attack: Latest sighting of Abdul Ezedi by the Thames as manhunt continues
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A mum has potentially "life-changing" wounds following an attack with a corrosive substance which left 12 people injured near Clapham Common in Lambeth.
Police have named as a suspect Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who is thought to have travelled to London yesterday from Newcastle. Police said he was last caught on camera in Allhallows Lane near Cannon Street on Wednesday night, and that he has injuries to his face.
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Hide AdThe manhunt is being led and co-ordinated by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, with a team of more than 100 officers dedicated to the investigation A reward of up to £20,000 has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
The BBC reports that Ezedi was convicted of "sexual assault/exposure" in 2018, before being granted asylum in 2021 or 2022.
Among the victims were a 31-year-old mum and her two daughters, aged eight and three, who remain in hospital. The younger girl's condition is no longer assessed as "life changing"
Members of the public who intervened to help the family.
Police were called to an incident in Lessar Avenue at about 7.25pm on Wednesday January 31, and a manhunt has been launched for the attacker, who police believe was known to the mother.
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Hide AdThree other women - two in their 30s and one in her 50s – were injured when they came to help the family. They have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns injuries, while a man in his 50s declined hospital treatment for minor injuries.
Five police officers were injured as they responded and were treated in hospital.
On Monday (February 5) a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Anyone with information or footage can call the incident room directly on 0207 175 2784 - or call 999 with any sightings.
Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Corrosive substance attack in Clapham
Key Events
- Police have warned the public not to approach suspect Abdul Shokoor Ezedi
- A three-year-old girl and her mother may have life-changing injuries
- A total of 12 people were injured in the incident which involved an alkaline substance
Chelsea sightings
Here is the latest updated timeline of Ezedi’s movements on Wednesday January 31:
00:15 – Ezedi’s vehicle is seen in Newcastle
06:30 – His vehicle is then seen traveling into Tooting, London
16:30 – A further sighting of his vehicle is confirmed in Croydon
19:00 – He is then seen driving in Streatham
19:25 – Attack takes place in Lessar Avenue, SW4, before Ezedi makes off in his vehicle which crashes nearby. He leaves the car and runs off.
19:33 – Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube Station.
19:59 – He is then seen leaving that train at King’s Cross Tube Station.
20:42 – He is then seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX. He exits and turns right.
21:00 - Ezedi enters King’s Cross Tube Station and boards a Victoria Line tube southbound.
21:10 – He gets off at Victoria Tube Station and heads towards the district line.
21:16 – Ezedi boards an eastbound District Line train.
21:33 – Ezedi exits Tower Hill Tube Station.
21:47 - He is seen on Allhallows Lane, EC3. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane. Then he turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street.
21:51 - He then turns left onto Upper Thames Street
21:54 – He travels along Upper Thames Street
21:59 – Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk, EC4, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier.
22:04 – He then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment.
22:06 – Ezedi passes Carmelite House, junction with Carmelite Street towards Temple.
22:28 - He passes Westminster Pier, goes up steps and continues towards Westminster.
22:33 - Ezedi seen walking south on Westminster bridge
22:36– He walks across Westminster Bridge, down steps on the London Eye side towards Lambeth
22:42– Ezedi seen walking west on south Thames Path towards Lambeth Bridge
22:55– He travels along the Albert Embankment approaching Vauxhall Bridge
23:00– Ezedi crosses Vauxhall Bridge towards stairs (Houses of Parliament side of the river)
23:03 - He crosses Vauxhall Bridge Road, into Grosvenor Road.
23:10 – Ezedi walks west bound past the Shell petrol station
23:19 - He passes the Thames Water Building, Grosvenor Road, heading towards Chelsea Bridge
23:25 – He crosses over Chelsea Bridge and enters Battersea Park.
23:27 - He crosses back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side.
Addresses searched
On Thursday, officers from the Met and Northumbria Police executed warrants at two addresses associated with Ezedi, including his place of work, in the north Tyneside area. No arrests were made.
In London, the investigation team has progressed further work to analyse Ezedi’s movements and we now know he crossed Chelsea Bridge.
Commander Jon Savell said on Thursday: “Today’s early morning activity involved armed officers targeting addresses linked to Ezedi as our investigation continues to find this dangerous man.
“This is just part of our work, a team of 100 officers in London are continuing to progress a range of enquiries, linking in with other forces and agencies. This includes meticulous work to examine CCTV footage, and we have now traced Ezedi’s movements for another 30 minutes.
“Thanks once more to all those members of the public who continue to contact us with information, we are hugely grateful.
“Officers at the scene handed out 250 leaflets and spoke to many people in the local area last night as we appealed for any further witnesses to the horrific events of a week ago to come forward. We also visited local Afghan restaurants and spoke to members of the local residents’ association.
“People were pleased to see us and I would like to thank everyone who spoke to us.
“Please keep the calls coming – we are following up every single piece of information.”
You can speak to the investigation team on 020 7175 2784, or for an immediate sighting dial 999.
A £20,000 reward remains on offer for information leading to Ezedi’s arrest.
Last known sighting
The BBC, reporting from a police briefing, says the last known sighting is from CCTV footage of Ezedi crossing Vauxhall Bridge at 11pm On January 31.
Ezedi arranged to meet victim
Police have said Ezedi was in a relationship with the woman injured and that he had arranged to eat her before the attack.
Latest timeline
Here is the latest we know of Abdul Ezedi’s movements on Wednesday January 31:
- 00:15 – Ezedi’s vehicle is seen in Newcastle
- 06:30 – His vehicle is then seen traveling into Tooting, London
- 16:30 – A further sighting of his vehicle is confirmed in Croydon
- 19:00 – He is then seen driving in Streatham
- 19:25 – Attack takes place in Lessar Avenue, SW4, before Ezedi makes off in his vehicle which crashes nearby. He leaves the car and runs off.
- 19:33 – Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube Station.
- 19:59 – He is then seen leaving that train at King’s Cross Tube Station.
- 20:42 – He is then seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX. He exits and turns right.
- 21:00 - Ezedi enters King’s Cross Tube Station and boards a Victoria Line tube southbound.
- 21:10 – He gets off at Victoria Tube Station and heads towards the district line.
- 21:16 – Ezedi boards an eastbound District Line train.
- 21:33 – Ezedi exits Tower Hill Tube Station.
- 21:47 - He is seen on Allhallows Lane, EC3. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane. Then he turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street.
- 21:51 - He then turns left onto Upper Thames Street (image released today)
- 21:54 – He travels along Upper Thames Street (image released today)
- 21:59 – Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk EC4, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier.
- 22:04 – He then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment. (footage released today)
New CCTV image released
The Met Police has released a new CCTV image of Abdul Ezedi.
Here is seen travelling along Upper Thames Street and then into Pauls Walk, EC4.
Anyone with information is asked to call our 24/7 hotline on 020 7175 2784 or for an immediate sighting dial 999.
Work continues to locate Abdul Ezedi
Officers from the Counter Terrorism fugitive team have updated the last known position of Abdul Ezedi on Wednesday January 31.
At 9.54pm he travelled along Upper Thames Street and then into Pauls Walk, EC4. He passed the City of London School and then towards Blackfriars Bridge.
The last sighting is at 10.04pm when he passed the Unilever building and headed towards Victoria Embankment.
Commander Jon Savell said: “Our teams have been working tirelessly through the night and into today to pinpoint Ezedi’s latest movements and we are now able to release the latest images and footage of him.
“We continue to appeal for information about Ezedi’s whereabouts. It remains our belief that he is being helped by others and yesterday we arrested a man for assisting an offender. Our enquiries continue to target more of Ezedi’s associates.
“A £20,000 reward remains on offer for anyone who has information leading to his arrest.”
Latest timeline
Updated timeline of Ezedi’s movements on Wednesday January 31:
- 00:15 – Ezedi’s vehicle is seen in Newcastle
- 06:30 – His vehicle is then seen traveling into Tooting, London
- 16:30 – A further sighting of his vehicle is confirmed in Croydon
- 19:00 – He is then seen driving in Streatham
- 19:25 – Attack takes place in Lessar Avenue, SW4, before Ezedi makes off in his vehicle which crashes nearby. He leaves the car and runs off.
- 19:33 – Ezedi boards a train at Clapham South Tube Station.
- 19:59 – He is then seen leaving that train at King’s Cross Tube Station.
- 20:42 – He is then seen on CCTV leaving Tesco at 21 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX. He exits and turns right.
- 21:00 - Ezedi enters King’s Cross Tube Station and boards a Victoria Line tube southbound.
- 21:10 – He gets off at Victoria Tube Station and heads towards the district line.
- 21:16 – Ezedi boards an eastbound District Line train.
- 21:33 – Ezedi exits Tower Hill Tube Station.
- 21:47 - He is seen on Allhallows Lane, by Cannon Street, EC3
- 21:51 - He then turns left onto Upper Thames Street
- 21:54 – He travels along Upper Thames Street
- 21:59 – Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk EC4, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier.
- 22:04 – He then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment.
New image released
Police have released a new CCTV image of Ezedi’s last known sighting after leaving Tower Hill tube station on Wednesday, 31 January, the night of the attack.
The image captures him at 9.47pm on Allhallows Lane, EC3.
The manhunt is being led by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, with a team of more than 100 officers.
The Counter Terrorism fugitive team is supporting, along with officers from forces across the UK including Northumbria and British Transport Police.
The Met says it remain in liaison with the National Crime Agency, the Home Office, UK Border Force and UK Visas and Immigration.
