Police suspect that Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, the suspect in a chemical attack in Clapham, may be dead after possibly entering the River Thames. Ezedi, 35, has not been seen since the attack on 31 January, where a mother and her two children were assaulted with an alkali substance. Police hypothesize that he entered the water after last being spotted at Chelsea Bridge. However, no body has been found and it is possible one may never be recovered.
CCTV footage shows Ezedi walking towards the Thames and his behavior changing at Chelsea Bridge. He was seen leaning over the bridge’s railings before disappearing from CCTV view.
Metropolitan Police officers have spent the last 24 hours meticulously reviewing CCTV footage and believe Ezedi entered the water. Despite extensive review of all available footage, there is no evidence of him leaving the bridge.
Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart stated that if Ezedi did enter the water, death is the most probable outcome. The police have not found any evidence of Ezedi contacting anyone else after his disappearance.
The most recent sighting of Ezedi was on 31 January at 23:27 GMT, crossing Chelsea Bridge. The police’s marine support unit will be searching the river, but experts warn that if a body is in the river, it may take some time to surface.
Ezedi’s family has been informed of these developments. A manhunt for Ezedi has been ongoing for over a week, with police raids conducted in Newcastle at properties linked to him. He is wanted for attempted murder related to the chemical attack.
The female victim, who had been in a relationship with Ezedi, remains in hospital in a sedated state and may lose sight in one eye. Her children, aged eight and three, have been discharged.
Ezedi, an Afghan refugee who arrived in the UK in 2016, had his asylum claim rejected twice before successfully appealing by claiming he had converted to Christianity. He was convicted of two sexual offences in 2018 but was allowed to stay as his crimes did not meet the threshold for deportation.
