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People are outraged at the Lambeth Metropolitan Police Service for asking the public to help catch the Clapham suspect without issuing any description.
On January 31, 2024, Lambeth Police posted a tweet asking people to call with any information about the perpetrator, who reportedly doused a mother and her two daughters with a "corrosive substance" in Lessar Avenue, Clapham.
A follow-up tweet was posted an hour later that was captioned:
"A manhunt is under way to trace a suspect after a corrosive substance was thrown at people in Lambeth last night. We urge local people and drivers to check their doorbell and dash cameras for any footage that might have captured him fleeing the area."
The tweets' comments section were flooded with people enraged that no further details were given, with several people asking the police to "issue a description of the acid attacker."
The "acid attack" that took place at around 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday left nine people injured, including three police officers. Police are scouring the surrounding areas with a helicopter in search of the suspect.
Netizens outraged by police's lack of description about the Clapham suspect
Police asking for the public's help to apprehend suspects is not new, as several perpetrators have been caught due to civilian tip-offs. However, the Lambeth Metropolitan Police Service's lack of details to help identify the Clapham suspect infuriated people, with many accusing the police of not doing their job.
Here are some of their reactions on X:
The police haven't come up with any new information regarding the Clapham suspect at the time of writing the article, though they have stated that he might be someone known to the victims.
Witnesses described the aftermath of the Clapham attack as "the worst thing I've ever seen"
According to The Daily Mail, an eyewitness who ran to help the mother and children after the Clapham attack described it as "the worst thing I've ever seen." They said that the mother, aged 31, was crying "I can't see, I can't see" after being doused with the "corrosive substance." Her lips had turned black, and her skin allegedly looked burned.
At around 7:25 p.m., a couple living on Lessar Avenue heard a commotion in the street and rushed out to see a silver hatchback stranded in the middle of the road. A man was seen allegedly pulling one of the children, a three-year-old girl, out of the car and slamming her on the ground twice.
He then threw what appeared to be a "corrosive substance" on the vehicle, which is defined as anything that can "burn human skin by corrosion."
Police and emergency services rushed to the area and quickly escorted the mother and her daughters to a major trauma center. According to The Sun, Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said:
"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."
Police have launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspect, who has been deemed a "dangerous man."
A total of nine people were injured in the attack. Five were taken to the major trauma center, three were taken to the local hospital, and one was discharged at the scene due to minor injuries.
