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A mother screamed for help as she and her two young daughters were doused in a corrosive substance in a “targeted attack” – leaving her and a three-year-old with potentially life-changing injuries.
Police are hunting for a man seen fleeing the scene of the horrifying incident in Clapham, south London, at around 7.25pm on Wednesday night which left nine people injured, including the mother, 31, and her daughters aged three and eight.
Click here for live updates from the scene.
Hero passersby who rushed to help the woman and her children were also hurt, along with three officers who were first to respond to the attack.
Have you been affected by this? Email amy-clare.martin@independent.co.uk
Police confirmed on Thursday the mother and children were doused with an alkaline substance and remain in hospital. Although their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, two could be left with life-altering wounds.
Detectives believe the attacker is known to the mother, warning he is a “dangerous individual” as they issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Shannon Christi, 35, said she ran outside on hearing the mother scream for help, before seeing a man in black throwing a child to the floor twice “like he was in the wrestling ring”.
Without hesitation she ran towards him and grabbed the three-year-old girl off the floor and brought her inside to safety. Her partner dressed in his slippers ran after the suspect chasing him away down the street.
She told The Independent: “I heard screaming ‘help, help’ and came outside. I saw the man throwing the girl on the floor like he was in a wrestling ring. He was angry.
“I rushed in and grabbed her. I didn’t see what he looked like or where he went I was focussed on her. I poured water on her and called the ambulance.
“The child was crying she told me her name and she was three but I couldn’t hear her through the tears.”
Police at the scene of an incident near Clapham Common, south London, after a suspected corrosive substance was thrown at a woman and her two young children
(PA)
Ms Christi had gone to get hospital treatment when her lips and her arm started to burn after coming into contact with the child. She added: “I just hope she is ok. I would do it again in an instant 100 per cent. I couldn’t leave her like that.”
A witness told The Sun that the mother and her children had been with a man when the pair got out of a vehicle and began fighting on the street.
Based on a witness account, the suspect got a child out of the car and violently slammed them onto the floor, Sky News reported. Shortly afterwards, a woman who was arguing with the suspect began screaming “My eyes. My eyes. Call the police. My eyes.”
The man then allegedly returned to the car and attempted to run the woman over, reported The Sun.
Police at the scene of an incident near Clapham Common, south London, after a suspected corrosive substance was thrown at a woman and her two young children
(PA)
The witness said, “there was a little baby girl banging on the door on the dad’s side, the lady was crying, screaming” and calling for help.
“He opened the door, took out the baby and banged her against the ground twice”.
Another witness told the BBC that the mother cried “I can’t see, I can’t see” as he tried to help her. “It was quite horrific,” he added.
A couple who live close by said they ran to the street to help the woman crying for help.
“We came outside and saw this guy and he took a girl out of the car and he slammed her to the ground twice,” a witness told the the British broadcaster. “I chased him half way down the road, but I was in slippers so didn’t get very far.
“As I came back, that’s when I saw the woman who had been attacked with whatever substance it was so I ran inside to get some water and just sprayed her down with water.
All of the injured individuals were treated on scene, with five being transported to a major trauma centre. Three were taken to a local hospital for treatment and one other person was discharged at the scene.
In an update on Thursday, Superintendent Gabriel Cameron praised injured passersby and officers for their bravery in responding to a “terrifying scenario”.
Police are appealing for witnesses following the attack
(Barney Davis/ The Independent)
He added: “The woman, who is aged 31, and her two daughters – aged eight and three – all remain in hospital. While none of their conditions are life-threatening, the injuries to the woman and younger girl could be life-changing. It may be some time before hospital staff are able to say how serious that might be.
“I am sure the public will join me in saying they are in our thoughts and we wish them the fullest possible recovery.
“Three women – two in their 30s and one in her 50s – who were injured when they bravely came to the aid of the family, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns injuries. A man in his 50s who also helped declined hospital treatment for minor injuries he suffered.
“Five officers who were injured as they responded have all been treated and have left hospital.”
He said the corrosive substance is now known to be alkaline and revealed that the suspect attempted to escape in a car but fled on foot after crashing into a stationary vehicle.
“We believe the man and woman are known to each other. Our investigation is in its early stages and we are working to establish why this awful incident has happened,” he added.
“Officers from across the Met are working with partner agencies and forces to locate and arrest the man. While this appears a targeted attack, he is a dangerous individual and we urgently need to find him. We will release more information about him as soon as we can.”
Firefighters earlier responded to the scene and used specialist equipment to detect the substance used, while the London Ambulance Service said it sent members its hazardous area response team to the site.
“We were called today at 7.29pm to reports of an incident on Clapham Common South Side, SW4,” a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including two incident response officers, three ambulance crews, and members of our hazardous area response team.
“We treated nine people, five of whom were taken to a major trauma centre. Three patients were taken to a local hospital and the other was discharged at the scene.”
Marina Ahmad, a London assembly member, said the suspected acid attack stemmed from a traffic collision, adding that a man was “assaulting occupants in a car and throwing acid,” she wrote on X.
Mr Castle said police are using all their resources to make an arrest in the incident.
“A man was seen fleeing the scene. We are drawing on resources from across the Met to apprehend this individual and work is ongoing to determine what has led to this awful incident,” he said.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, MP for Streatham, wrote: “Very concerned to hear reports of an acid attack on Lessar Avenue in Clapham earlier tonight around 7.25pm, which has resulted in multiple injuries.
She added: “I’ll share more updates when I receive them. In the meantime, please avoid the area if possible whilst our emergency services carry out their work.”
Any members of the public who have information regarding the incident were encouraged to call 999.
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