London police confirmed on Friday that the body pulled from the Thames was that of Abdul Ezzedi. Abdul Ezzedi is a man wanted for a chemical attack that injured his ex-partner and two young daughters.
The Metropolitan Police announced on Thursday that his body had been formally identified and his family had been informed of the development. The force also announced that an autopsy confirmed the cause of death was drowning.
British police report body of suspect pulled from river after attack with corrosive substance
“As the public expected, our investigation into this brutal attack continues,” Commander John Sabel said in a statement. “The 31-year-old woman is still in hospital, her condition is stable and she is not being sedated. We have not been able to speak to her yet, but once she has recovered enough I hope to talk to you soon.”
This is a photo of an undated handout of Abdul Ezedi issued by the Metropolitan Police Department. (Metropolitan Police Department Associated Press)
Police launched a nationwide manhunt for Ezzedi after the attack on a mother-of-two in Clapham, south London, on January 31, in which she was doused with caustic alkali. Some of the chemicals injured their 8-year-old daughter and caused her 3-year-old daughter to hit her head on the ground.
An image of Ezzedi was released soon after, showing him seriously injured on the right side of his face, but he was missing. On February 9, the Met announced that it believed Ezzedi had probably “entered the water” after splicing together private television footage of his movements after the attack.
London Underground said the crew of a passing boat reported seeing a body in the water near the Tower of London on Monday afternoon and believed it to be Ezzedi.
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Ezzedi is an Afghan refugee who was granted asylum in Britain in 2018 despite being convicted of sex crimes, according to British media reports. His asylum application was initially rejected, but he was later allowed to remain in Britain, claiming he had converted to Christianity, the Daily Telegraph reported.
