A friend of the sex offender wanted for an alkali attack on a mother and her two young daughters in Clapham has revealed that he had previously exposed himself to a woman waiting at a bus stop.
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Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, who is originally from Afghanistan, is the prime suspect in the horrific attack that left the victims with serious burns and possible life-changing injuries on Wednesday night.
Police have launched a nationwide manhunt for Ezedi, who fled the scene in a car but crashed into a parked vehicle and then ran towards Clapham Common. He was last seen at a Tesco store in north London, where he bought a bottle of water and appeared to have significant injuries to his face.
The BBC understands that Ezedi arrived in the UK by lorry in 2016, and was twice turned down for asylum before being granted it on his third attempt. He was convicted of sexual assault and exposure in 2018, and was discharged from probation supervision in 2020.
A friend of Ezedi, who did not want to be named, told the Daily Mail that he had witnessed him exposing himself to a woman at a bus stop in Newcastle, where he lived. He said he was shocked by his behaviour and tried to stop him, but Ezedi ran away.
"He was a very strange person. He would say he was a Christian, but he would also say he was a Muslim. He would pray five times a day, but he would also drink alcohol and smoke cannabis. He was very confused," the friend said.
The friend also said that Ezedi had a history of mental health problems, and had attempted suicide several times. He said he had lost contact with him after he moved to London a few months ago.
The Metropolitan Police have urged the public not to approach Ezedi, but to call 999 if they see him. They have also appealed for anyone who may have information about his whereabouts or his motive to come forward.
Supt Gabriel Cameron, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was a horrific and unprovoked attack on a family who were simply going about their evening. We are doing everything we can to find Ezedi and bring him to justice."
He added: "We are also supporting the victims and their family, who have been through a traumatic ordeal. They are receiving specialist care at a hospital, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery."
