23 February 2024 , 17:06
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Police have confirmed a body pulled from the Thames on Tuesday is of Clapham chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi.
Ezedi hurled a corrosive chemical at a woman and her two children in Clapham in January before going on the run. The 35-year-old suffered severe burns of his attack which affected eight people in total. He then went on to criss-cross London, and was last seen near Chelsea Bridge as a huge nationwide manhunt was launched to find him.
Earlier this month, on Friday, February 9, police revealed they thought Ezedi had jumped into the Thames around four hours after the attack which had involved an alkaline substance. Yesterday, officers said a body found was “strongly” believed to be him, and have now confirmed it. A post-mortem examination was carried out at Poplar Mortuary on Wednesday and confirmed his cause of death was drowning before he was formally identified today.
Commander Jon Savell said: “We have worked to formally identify Ezedi as quickly as possible. As the public would expect, our enquiries continue into this atrocious attack.
"The 31-year-old woman is still in hospital and remains in a stable condition and no longer sedated. We have still not been able to speak to her but hope to as soon as she is well enough."
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The corpse was recovered by the Met’s Marine Policing Unit and has been viewed by detectives working on the investigation. It was first spotted around 4pm on Monday by the crew of a passing boat, near Tower Pier. Footage of the body being pulled from the Thames was captured by a passer-by. Ezidi's family has been informed of this development and a file will now be passed to the coroner.
Police said Ezedi was the only suspect in the chemical attack (PA)Commander Jon Savell said on Tuesday: "Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi. We have been in contact with his family to pass on the news."
At that time, the commander explained the factors which prevented police immediately confirming their suspicions that the body was Ezedi's, saying: "After a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints. We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time."
Today in the wake of those tests and checks, police were finally able to confirm the hunt for one of the UK's most wanted men was formally over. Police previously said the mum had suffered potentially "life-changing" injuries but on Tuesday confirmed her condition has improved. On the day of the attack, January 31, Ezedi drove from Newcastle down to London before the horrific incident itself took place shortly before 7.30pm.
Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit was looking for his body (PA)The Afghan refugee had arranged to meet the mum, and tried to drive away, but crashed his car so fled on foot. His last movements placed him close to Chelsea Bridge on CCTV, just before 11.30pm. He was seen heading towards it, crossing over it, and into Battersea Park, before around 11.27pm he crossed back over.In the aftermath of the horrific attack, a nation-wide manhunt was launched, with a team of 100 officers continuing the hunt within London as other forces were drafted in too.
Police raided two properties in Newcastle, including a Best Bites pizza shop where Ezedi is thought to have worked. Officers previously described how Ezedi's behaviour changed when he walked over Chelsea Bridge, leading them to believe he then jumped into the river.
Commander Savell said: "When he gets to Chelsea Bridge, his demeanour appears to change. I would describe him previously as walking sort of purposefully, as if he knew where he was going and he was walking at a reasonable pace.
Ezedi was last seen at Chelsea Bridge before his body was retrieved days later nearer Tower Bridge (Google)"As he gets onto Chelsea Bridge, he does cross the bridge more than once. And then when he gets back to the centre, he appears to be moving from the railings back to the pavement and looking over the edge of the railings. So a distinct change in how he's been moving about."
Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said that at that point CCTV sightings of Ezedi ceased but added his behaviour then was consistent with “him going into the water”.
On February 10 and 11, officers from the Marine Policing Unit carried out a number of low tied searches in the areas around Chelsea Bridge. Despite that, and routine searches since, his body turned up miles away down river.
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