Police hunting for the Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi believe that he may already be dead, as he has not been spotted despite a nationwide manhunt.
Metropolitan Police officers have been chasing Edezi, 35, since Wednesday after he chucked an alkaline substance on a 31-year-old woman and her two children.
The woman – who was known to Edezi – has suffered potentially life-changing injuries and may lose sight in her left eye. She remains sedated in hospital, whilst her two children have been discharged.
The 35-year-old was last spotted on CCTV crossing Southwark Bridge at 9.50pm, just two hours after the attack.
Abdul Ezedi, the suspected chemical attacker, was last spotted on Wednesday evening in London
PA/Met Police
He last used his bank card at 9.33pm on Wednesday after exiting Tower Hill station before crossing the river.
Despite officers scouring hundreds of hours of CCTV and launching a huge manhunt spanning over 100 hours, Edezi has still not been found.
Commander Jon Savell said that Ezedi could have come to harm and laid out two theories.
He said: “I think it is realistic to understand that the fact no one has seen him recently and he has not been spotted by anyone either means he has come to harm and is yet to be found, or someone is looking after him and he has not been outside for some time. Those are the obvious two hypotheses.”
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Ezedi allegedly attacked a woman and her two children with a corrosive substance in Clapham, south LondonPAThe manhunt entered its seventh day today, with a £20,000 reward for anyone who can provide information on his whereabouts.
More than 200 calls have been received from the public with potential information but none have led to any sightings.
Det Supt Rick Sewart, leading the manhunt, said it would take some time to find Edezi if he has gone into hiding: “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.”
Nick Aldworth, a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think if we've not seen or heard from him in the the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he's gone to ground, possibly supported by somebody... or it's not unlikely or improbable that he may have taken his own life. There is therefore a body to be found somewhere."
Abdul Ezedi is the subject of a national manhunt by police after an attack in Clapham on WednesdayMetropolitan PolicePolice officers have urged people to approach Edezi, who has been left with distinctive facial injuries, if they see him.
In a previous statement, Commander Savell added: "I must warn anyone who is helping Ezedi to evade capture - if you are harbouring or assisting him then you will be arrested."
On Monday, a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting Ezedi.
He was taken to a police station in South London but has since been released on bail.