A BODY has been found in the manhunt for chemical fugitive Abdul Shokoor Ezedi – 20 days after his ex and her children were attacked.
Ezedi, 35, went on the run after 12 people were injured in the terror attack in Clapham, south-west London, at 7.25pm on January 31.
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Abdul Ezedi was last seen on Chelsea Bridge in West London
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He melted his face in a chemical attack
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RNLI Chiswick Lifeboat searches for Ezedi in the Thames
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The police were hunting him for a ‘targeted’ chemical attack
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The moment when a woman and her children were attacked
The Met launched a major manhunt for the suspect after luring the 31-year-old mother to meet him.
He then allegedly assaulted her and her daughters, ages three and eight, in their car, police said.
The Met believed Ezedi jumped into the water after he was last seen pacing up and down Chelsea Bridge.
Police confirmed today that the body was recovered from Tower Pier at 4pm on Monday.
Chief Jon Savell said: “Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and the property found on his body, we strongly believe we have found the body of Ezedi.
“We have been in contact with his family to convey the news.
“As you might expect after a long period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor by fingerprints.
“We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That could take some time.”
It comes after friends of the injured woman gave an update on her condition yesterday.
The GoFundMe page reads: “Mom is still sedated in the hospital. We still don’t know the full extent of her vision damage.
“Anything you can do to continue to generate support is appreciated.
“As Katie Piper pointed out in her Instagram post, ‘burn healing is a long process and it’s still very much necessary to cross the finish line’.”
A total of 12 people were injured in the attack – including a 31-year-old mother and her daughters.
Commander Savell previously said there was a “very strong indication” the pair were in a relationship, which had since “broken off”.
Clapham chemical attack: Man arrested after mother and daughter, 3 and 8, among 12 injured in horror
The mother is still in the hospital, but now she is in a stable condition and is no longer sedated, he confirmed today.
The police still haven’t spoken to her, but they hope to soon.
The discovery comes after officers searched the River Thames in west London, believing Ezedi had gone into the water.
He was last seen crossing Chelsea Bridge at 11.27pm, around four hours after the attack in Clapham, before disappearing.
CCTV footage showed him leaning over the bridge before disappearing from view, officers said.
Det Supt Rick Sewart said death was “the most likely outcome” if Ezedi had gone into the water.
But the Met warned that Ezedi’s body may never emerge from the swift Thames.
On the run
Information about the fugitive has been shared with all UK police forces and ports and a £20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
Ezedi arrived in the UK in a lorry and did not claim asylum.
However, he then converted to Christianity and was accepted on the third attempt with a priest as a character witness.
Ezedi pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of exposure before being granted asylum, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed.
He was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on 9 January 2018 to nine weeks in prison suspended for two years for sexual assault.
He was given a 36-week prison sentence for the exposure, to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years.
Increase in chemical attacks in the UK
There were 710 chemical attacks in the UK in 2022 – the most on record.
Ezedi has lived in Newcastle for several years but is believed to have traveled to London recently.
Witnesses said Ezedi spent his days “hanging around the streets” of Newcastle near the hostel where he lived last summer.
Officers raided a pizza takeaway where Ezedi previously worked in Newcastle as the search continued.
They also searched another address in the city, but no arrests were made.
This was followed by a raid on two houses in East London and three in Newcastle.
Police have released footage of officers entering a house in the town where empty containers were found with corrosive warnings on the labels.
A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, but has been released on bail while the investigation continues.
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Officers inspect a cup of coffee left at the sceneCredit: w8media
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The footage shows the man stumbling as he fled the scene
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