End of the manhunt in London?
British police announced on Tuesday that they had probably found in the Thames, in the center of the British capital, the body of the man suspected of an attack with a chemical product a few days ago.
Abdul Ezedi, 35, is suspected of having sprayed his former partner, 31, and her two young daughters with an “alkaline” substance (like soda or bleach) in his car on Wednesday January 31 evening.
He himself had been seriously injured in the face by the substance during the attack, the images of which, made public, had caused fear.
Scotland Yard had indicated that Abdul Ezedi had been in a relationship with the mother of the two girls aged 3 and 8, but that he had separated.
Since this attack in the Clapham district of south London, the police had launched a real manhunt, also offering a reward of 20,000 pounds (23,400 euros) for any information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
But based on CCTV footage, she said she thought he was dead.
Spotted near Tower Bridge
She said on Tuesday that a body had been spotted on Monday afternoon by boat in the center of London, near Tower Bridge, one of the capital's most famous tourist attractions.
“Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and the items found on his body, we firmly believe we have found Ezedi’s body,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Detectives leading the hunt for Abdul Ezedi, wanted for a brutal attack on a mother and her children in #Clapham, believe his body has been recovered from the River Thames.
Listen to Commander Jon Savell's update 👇https://t.co/AclBNiCnfx pic.twitter.com/lcxAw7kv25
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 20, 2024
She stressed that it would take time to formally identify the body, which had deteriorated, not allowing the use of fingerprints and requiring the use of DNA or dental prints.
The victim could lose the use of one eye
According to British media, Abdul Ezedi, who is believed to have arrived from Afghanistan in 2016, was previously convicted in 2018 of a sexual offense and given a suspended sentence by Newcastle Crown Court.
According to the same source, he was granted asylum in the United Kingdom after the third attempt, after a priest told British authorities that he had converted to Christianity.
His ex-partner, affected by the chemical substance, who could lose the use of her right eye as a result of the attack, is still hospitalized, the police said on Tuesday, specifying however that "her condition has improved" and that she “is no longer sedated”.
As for his two daughters, their injuries were fortunately not as serious as initially feared.