The search for the suspect in an acid attack on a mother and her daughters in Clapham, London continues. The man, Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, was last seen on CCTV at King’s Cross station on the London Underground. Ezedi was seen boarding a southbound Victoria line train at 9pm GMT on Wednesday. The mother, aged 31, is in critical condition with potentially life-altering injuries, while her daughters, aged three and eight, are not as seriously injured as initially feared.
The Metropolitan Police have not reported any new developments in the search for Ezedi. During a press conference on Friday, Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell urged Ezedi to surrender, noting that he has significant injuries to his face that require medical attention.
Images of Ezedi at King’s Cross station, taken roughly 90 minutes after the attack, were released by police on Friday. The police also revealed they found “significant and important pieces of evidence” following searches in east London and Newcastle. Among the items recovered were two empty containers with corrosive warnings from a Newcastle address. Forensic tests are being conducted to determine if these containers held the substance used in the attack.
Ezedi is believed to have left Newcastle early in the morning before traveling to London where the attack occurred. The mother and her two daughters were seriously injured when the substance was thrown at them. As Ezedi fled the scene, four individuals attempted to stop him. He tried to escape in a car but collided with a parked vehicle and then fled on foot towards Clapham Common.
Three bystanders who assisted the family have been discharged from hospital with minor burns. Five police officers who responded to the incident were also treated for injuries and have since been discharged. Ezedi was later seen at a Tesco in King’s Cross before boarding a southbound Victoria Line train at 9pm on Wednesday.
Ezedi, who is believed to have arrived in the UK on a lorry from Afghanistan in 2016, was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018. He was granted asylum after two failed attempts when a priest confirmed his conversion to Christianity. It is not yet known which Christian denomination supported Ezedi’s claim. The Catholic Church in the North East confirmed Ezedi was part of a justice and peace charitable project, but has not confirmed if they provided additional support.
The owner of a supermarket in Byker, Newcastle, reported seeing Ezedi in his shop on Tuesday. The shop owner, named Yaya, described Ezedi as “normal and relaxed” and said he worked at a pizza shop. Yaya expressed shock at the news of Ezedi’s alleged involvement in the attack.
