Clapham chemical assault: police release new image of 35-year-old suspect – as it happened | London

• Scotland Yard is hunting a “significantly injured” suspected chemical attacker who allegedly left a “vulnerable” young woman and her toddler with potentially life-changing wounds after throwing a corrosive substance over them.

• Detectives shared a new photo of Abdul Ezedi on Thursday, calling him “dangerous” and highlighting the maimed right side of his face while appealing for witnesses to come forward. But they warned: “If you see him, do not approach him.”

• Officers later released a CCTV image of the last known sighting of Ezedi in Caledonian Road in Islington shortly before 9pm on Wednesday. “The image is taken from the Tesco store, where Ezedi is believed to have purchased a bottle of water. He left the shop and turned right. The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive,” Cameron said.

• The Metropolitan police have alerted other forces in case the 35-year-old tries to flee London, with a superintendent, Gabriel Cameron, saying he was last seen in the Caledonian Road area of north London, and was believed to have travelled from the north-east of England to carry out the attack.

• He did not confirm what substance was used, saying many such corrosive products were readily available in high street shops, or how the attacker sustained his injury.

• The 31-year-old woman, who is believed to be known to Ezedi, her three-year-old and a second daughter, aged eight, were in a stable condition in hospital on Thursday afternoon.

• A mechanic in the Byker area of Newcastle said his boss recognised Abdul Ezedi as he had tried to buy a car from the business some months ago, PA Media reported. Michael Binks, 37, was shown a picture of the wanted man and said: “He tried to buy a car from us. As soon as my boss saw his picture on the news he recognised him. “It’s a couple of months since we last saw him.”

• The home secretary has described last night’s attack as “appalling” in a short statement, BBC News has reported. “Last night’s attack on a mother and her two children in Clapham was appalling,” James Cleverly said in a statement. “My thoughts are with them and the brave members of the public and police who intervened.”

• There was a heightened police presence on Caledonian Road in north London, where Abdul Ezedi was last seen. Unmarked cars with blue sirens could be seen dotted around the area on Thursday afternoon. Police vans also drove around the area, PA Media reported.

• The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has spoken to BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme about the chemical assault in Clapham, which he called “truly shocking”. He said he had been in close contact with the police since last night. Khan said he was “incredibly proud of the passersby who ran to this woman and her children’s aid”. He thanked those members of the public and the police officers for their “heroism”.

That’s all from this blog for today. Thanks for following along. Goodnight.

In case you missed it earlier, detectives have named the man suspected of attacking a woman and her children with an alkaline corrosive substance as Abdul Ezedi, whom they described as “dangerous” and bearing “significant injuries” to the right side of his face.

Emergency services were called to Lessar Avenue in Clapham at about 7.25pm. The victims were taken to hospital along with passersby and police officers who were injured as they tried to help.

Scotland Yard has launched a manhunt, appealing for witnesses to come forward, but imploring anyone who sees Ezedi not to approach him.

The Metropolitan police have alerted other forces in case the 35-year-old suspect tries to flee London, with a superintendent, Gabriel Cameron, saying he was last seen in the Caledonian Road area of north London, and was believed to have travelled from the north-east of England to carry out the attack.

The Metropolitan police have released a new image of Abdul Ezedi, the suspect in the Clapham alkaline substance attack.

Supt Gabriel Cameron said: “We are now releasing an image of the last known sighting of Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, which was on Caledonian Road, N1 at 8.48pm on Wednesday 31 January.

“The image is taken from the Tesco store, where Ezedi is believed to have purchased a bottle of water. He left the shop and turned right.

“The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive.

“If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should not be approached.”

As police appeal for information about the suspect’s whereabouts, here is a summary of what we know so far:

• Abdul Shokoor Ezedi is 35 years old and from the Newcastle area.

• Police say the suspect has been left with “significant injuries to the right side of his face” following the incident.

• It is believed he was known to the victims, a mother and two young daughters.

• He was last seen was in Caledonian Road, north London, around 8 miles from Clapham but police have not said when.

• Ezedi “could be going back” to Newcastle, police said.

• Officers have urged the public not to approach Ezedi, after the Met previously described him as a “dangerous individual”.

• British Transport Police are assisting with the manhunt.

• If the public see Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, the advice is not to go near him, but instead to call 999.

The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has spoken to BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme about the chemical assault in Clapham, which he called “truly shocking”. He said he had been in close contact with the police since last night.

Khan said he was “incredibly proud of the passersby who ran to this woman and her children’s aid”. He thanked those members of the public and the police officers for their “heroism”.

“Neighbours invited people in to their homes to wash their eyes with water. A local hotel nearby opened their doors to the police and to victims to wash out some of the corrosive substance,” said Khan, acknowledging that it can be difficult to know what to do in such an instance as a chemical assault.

Khan said attacks using corrosive substances had been reduced from hundreds to a handful as a result of new legislation, but he added that unfortunately household products – such as detergents and paint strippers – contain the substances that can cause such “huge damage” and pose a danger to the public.

Khan says corrosive substance are also “offensive weapons” alongside guns and knives. “Just as we are taking action, in terms of a public health approach, towards guns and knives, so we have got to do the same with this kind of stuff as well.”

He added: “We have to make it as difficult as possible for average people to get hold of dangerous substances.” Khan said the attack last night was targeted, so early intervention was “crucial”.

Supt Gabriel Cameron was also asked about the car involved in last night’s assault. He said he believed it was the suspect’s car. It is a white Hyundai.

Questioned about the substance used in the assault, Cameron said: “We know it is a corrosive alkaline substance. We can buy all sorts in the high street.”

He said police didn’t yet know where the suspect lived but was “wholeheartedly confident we will catch him”. “He may have been known to police,” Cameron added. “I have no idea of the suspect’s motivation.”

Cameron also thanked members of the public – three women and one man – for trying to help the woman and her daughters who were allegedly targeted by Abdul Ezedi. He says that none of them sustained major injuries.