Last known sighting of Clapham chemical attack suspect as police reveal 'significant evidence' found in raids

2 February 2024, 15:45 | Updated: 2 February 2024, 17:12

Police have released fresh images of the suspect in the Clapham chemical attack.
Police have released fresh images of the suspect in the Clapham chemical attack. . Picture: Met Police

By Jenny Medlicott

Police have found 'significant evidence' after raiding five addresses in the hunt for the Clapham chemical attack suspect as images of his last known sighting are released.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The raids were carried out at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle, where suspect Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, travelled from on the morning of the attack.

Giving an update on the search for Ezedi outside Scotland Yard on Friday, Commander John Saville said he was last seen travelling on the Victoria line tube heading south on Wednesday evening at around 9pm.

Mr Saville said working alongside Northumbria police, they have "recovered some significantly important pieces of evidence which will help with our investigation” following the raids.

The hunt for Ezedi, who allegedly maimed a mother and her two daughters in a chemical attack on the streets of London, entered its third day on Friday.

Mr Saville said the mother, 31, currently remains “very poorly” and has been sedated in hospital with injuries they expect will be "life-changing".

He said the children’s injuries, however, “aren’t as serious as first thought” and are not expected to be life-changing.

Two new images of the suspect were released on Friday showing Ezedi at King's Cross Station, where he was sighted around 9pm.

Mr Saville urged Ezedi to hand himself in, as he said: "We’ve seen the images. You need some medical help, so do the right thing and hand yourself in.”

Read more: Live: Manhunt for Clapham chemical attack suspect with 'significant injuries' continues

Read more: Minister vows to ‘end asylum merry-go-round’ as Clapham suspect was allowed to stay in UK despite conviction

Police released fresh CCTV images of Ezedi on the night of the attack.
Police released fresh CCTV images of Ezedi on the night of the attack. Picture: Met Police

It is believed one of the raids was carried out on a property in Leytonstone, east London where the suspect’s brother is thought to live.

Dozens of police were sighted at the property at around 2am on Friday and officers evacuated residents from the block of flats, Sky News reports.

They were asked by officers if they had “seen a man with an injured eye” and were warned it’s “not safe to be in there”.

An audio recording obtained from the night of the evacuation hears officers instructing neighbours: “Show me your hands. How many of you are there? Come out slowly, put your hands on your heads and walk toward me. One by one, move to your right and keep going.

"We are police officers and we have a search warrant for this address. We are looking for someone. It's not safe for you to be in there."

After being questioned, residents were allowed to return to their flats.

It is thought the suspect’s brother was among the residents evacuated, although he claimed to have had no recent contact with him.

Ezedi at King's Cross tube station.
Ezedi at King's Cross tube station. Picture: Met Police

It emerged on Thursday evening that Ezedi is a former asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was allowed to remain in the UK despite being convicted of a sexual offence.

It is understood that he arrived in the UK by lorry in 2016 and made two unsuccessful attempts to claim asylum.

He appealed his second rejected claim however, which was then overturned in 2020 when a church witness said he believed Ezedi had converted to Christianity, according to reports.

It comes as an eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, told LBC on Friday that the incident has left her children terrified.

She said: “My kids are a similar age, they were all screaming. They are still so scared. All the time we are thinking about this. My youngest can’t sleep, and they keep asking me if they have caught the bad man.

“I cannot sleep without thinking of this family and what he did to the youngest girl.”

The witness, who lives on the road where the attack took place, continued: “I saw the lady running around, screaming ‘help’.

“The oldest girl was outside of the car banging on the back window. The youngest child was on the back seat of the car.

“He had put her in the car I think. He flung the door open and dragged her out of the car by her legs. He threw her to the ground, it was so horrible.

“She was wearing a backpack. He picked her up again, lifted her by her backpack, and threw her back down to the ground. It’s like he said ‘ok, take it’

“Even with an animal you can’t do that”.

Ezedi is the main suspect in the Clapham chemical attack.
Ezedi is the main suspect in the Clapham chemical attack. Picture: Met Police

The mother and her two children were among 12 people injured when the "corrosive substance", thought to be an alkaline oven cleaner, was thrown in south London on Wednesday evening.

Police said Ezedi has suffered "significant injuries" to the right side of his face and urged members of the public to get in touch if they see him.

Providing a timeline of the suspect’s last known movements, Mr Saville said he left Newcastle in the very early hours of Wednesday morning.

He travelled down to London and was in the Tooting area by 6:30am.

There was another sighting of the suspect in Croydon at about 4:30pm, and then again at 7pm in Streatham.

The attack took place at 7:25pm in Clapham and at 7:33pm he boarded a train at Clapham South tube.

He was next seen at 8pm at King’s Cross tube station.

At around 8:45 he was captured on CCTV in Tesco in north London displaying significant injuries to the side of his face.

Police have since been able to establish that he was last seen travelling on the Victoria tube line south at around 9pm.

They released an image on Thursday evening, showing the extent of the damage to his face.

The Met's Superintendent 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 20:48hrs on Thursday, 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."

Met police chief Mark Rowley has said that a total of 12 people were hurt in the attack.

This includes a woman and her two daughters, who police believe were known to the suspect.

The injuries may end up being life-changing, police said.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates a goal.

Four people given suspended prison sentences for hate crimes after hanging effigy of Real Madrid star

Electricity prices in the UK are high because of the "insane" wholesale market, Parliament has been told.

UK electricity prices ‘way too high’ because of ‘insane’ wholesale market, Parliament told

Detectives have released CCTV footage of a man they wish to speak to following an attempted rape

Bid to trace man as police investigate attempted rape of woman in cinema

Exclusive
Jess Phillips on LBC

Victims deserve credit for grooming gangs national inquiry - not Elon Musk, says Labour minister

Lammy insists UK 'not involved' in Israeli air strikes  - as Iranian state TV studio 'hit by rockets' during live broadcast.

Lammy insists UK 'not involved' in Israeli air strikes - as Iranian state TV studio 'hit by rockets' live on air

The Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, England, where Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner will visit on Wednesday Aug. 7, 2024 following riots

Pregnant teenager facing jail term following role in Rotherham riots targeting migrant hotel

Hamilton started the race in fifth and looked to be on course for a positive 70 laps - before his Grand Prix was impacted in the initial stages.

Lewis Hamilton is left 'devastated' after hitting a furry animal at 100mph in F1's Canadian Grand Prix

Gareth Bale is reportedly being lined up to front a takeover of League One side Plymouth

Gareth Bale in talks to front shock US takeover of League One club

DJ John Reid has died suddenly aged 61

Top DJ dies suddenly aged 61 as music stars pay tribute

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media at the G7 summit, in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, Monday, June 16, 2025.

'Israel has right to defend itself - and Iran cannot have nuclear weapons', say world leaders at G7 summit in Canada

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of 92-year-old Ryland Headley appearing via video link at Bristol Magistrates' Court, charged with the rape and murder of widow Louisa Dunne in Bristol in 1967.

Man, 92, goes on trial for the rape and murder of a pensioner in 1967

.

Scottish school apologises after calling Union Flag 'offensive or sectarian' in letter to parents

Richard Oladi, who works in NHS primary care alongside his mother, is currently stuck in Tehran.

'Desperately frightened' NHS worker describes being trapped in Tehran while on a family visit with his mother

A crane retrieves part of the fuselage of the Air India Boeing 787 on June 14, 2025 in Ahmedabad, India.

Families of British Air India crash victims 'feel utterly abandoned' as they blast UK government's response

Chris Brown is back on stage after being bailed

Where Chris Brown will play on Breezy Bowl XX world tour after bail

Viswash Kumar Ramesh (circled) walking out of the wreckage while clutching his phone

New video shows sole survivor of Air India disaster walking away from fireball wreck while on his phone