Clapham acid attack: Manhunt as woman and children targeted with corrosive substance in Lessar Avenue, South London

A man threw a child to the floor twice like he was in a “wrestling ring” during the suspected acid attack, a witness told The Independent.

Shannon Christi, 35, ran out on hearing the mother scream for help. She saw 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 3-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.”

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.”

Detective Superintendent Alexander Castle said on a statement late on Wednesday: “Officers are on scene following this horrific incident.

“Three victims – a woman and her two young children – have been taken to hospital for treatment.

“Three other people – all adults – have been taken to hospital for injuries sustained, we believe, as they came to their aid.

“We will update as soon as we know more about their conditions.

“Three police officers have also been taken to hospital after they responded to the incident. Thankfully we believe their injuries to be minor.

“While tests are ongoing to determine what the substance is, at this stage we believe it to be a corrosive substance.

“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.

“The National Police Air Service are assisting us. Any members of the public who can help us with information or material should call 999 immediately ref CAD 7790/31 Jan.”

Police have set up a cordon on Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, after an attack on Wednesday evening.

Read The Independent’s report of the attack in Clapham in full below.

We have some more quotes from another eyewitness at the scene of the attack last night.

One man, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC: “We came outside and saw this guy and he took a girl out of the car and he slammed her to the ground twice.

“I chased him half way down the road but I was in slippers so did not get very far.

“As I came back, that’s when I saw the woman who had been attacked … so I ran inside to get some water and just sprayed her down with water.”

A total of nine individuals, including a woman, her two children and three officers were injured as a result of the incident. The injuries of the responding officers are thought to be minor, Detective Superintendent Alexander Castle said in a news release.

All of the injured individuals were treated at the 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.

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.

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.”1