Clapham chemical attack suspect may be dead, say police

Clapham chemical attack suspect, Abdul Ezedi, may be dead or being hidden by an accomplice say Met detectives as no sign of him for more than four days despite huge manhunt.

Ezedi is suspected to have thrown an alkali chemical substance at a woman and her two young daughters in Clapham on Wednesday 31 January. It's understood that Ezedi and the woman were in a relationship, with the former being accused of stalking and predatory behaviour.

The 31-year old woman is still under sedation in hospital and may lose sight in her right eye. Her two children - aged three and eight - are in a better condition, and their injuries are not life threatening.

Police are still yet to confirm the relationship, if any, between the suspect and the victims, citing that they don't have "hard facts", but do have some "hypotheses" they'd like to speak to him about.

However, as the nationwide manhunt has so far gathered no trace of Ezedi after 9.47pm on Wednesday 31 January as he was seen on Allhallows Lane, EC3, it's now being considered that he may be dead.

Cmdr Jon Savell said of the search to find Ezedi: “We’ve got a number of hypotheses to talk in police terms about what might have happened.

“Him having come to some harm is obviously one of them. I think that it’s realistic to understand that the fact that no one has seen him recently and he’s not been spotted by anybody would mean that he has either come to harm and is lying somewhere and yet to be found, or someone’s looking after him, as he’s not been outside for some time. I think they are the obvious two hypotheses.”

Ezedi's mobile phone was found in his car, which was left abandoned at the scene. Both are being scoured for clues by detectives as they attempt to understand any relationship he had with the victim, and any motive.

100 specialist officers are part of the manhunt, which is being worked as a major murder or counter-terrorism operation. Det Supt Rick Sewart, who is leading the team says: "It’s always more difficult to crack a manhunt where they don’t have their mobile phone on them.”

Police said that early on Monday detectives arrested a man aged 22 for assisting an offender. He was released later the same afternoon on bail within hours of being detained, with inquiries continuing.

And with his severe facial injuries, and that he walked out of Tower Hill station in central London, police think he may be assisted, if not dead. And they haven't ruled out the attack being a solo act.

Police have worked through 200 calls of possible sightings, and asked anyone who thinks they have seen Ezedi – left with significant facial injuries after the attack – or knows something to call them, with a £20,000 reward on offer.

The main focus is on London and Newcastle, where Ezedi lived. A search of his flat uncovered bottles of corrosive alkaline chemicals believed to be liquid sodium hydroxide or liquid sodium carbonate.

Sewart said police were talking to neighbours and associates of Ezedi and he could be hiding in the north-east or the capital. If alive, it's thought he would be with someone.

Sewert said: "If we are in a situation whereby he is being held in one specific address it clearly could take several weeks, if he’s being fed and watered by somebody and wants to lay low.”