Fundraiser launched for 'wonderful' Clapham attack victims to 'rebuild their lives'
A fundraiser has been launched for the "generous, sweet, loving" mother and two young daughters who were the victims of a chemical attack in Clapham.
The close friends, who set up the GoFundMe page said they hoped the "wonderful little family" would be safe and secure after the "brutal" attack.
In a statement they said: “Our friend is first and foremost a devoted and loving mother.
“Her children are her life. She is generous to a fault and a wonderful cook and host.
“All she has ever wanted is a safe home for her and her beautiful, kind little girls.”
The attack happened on Wednesday evening in South London with suspect Abdul Ezedi, who is wanted for attempted murder, still on the run eight days later.
Armed police executed two warrants in Newcastle in the early hours of Thursday morning at addresses associated with Ezedi including where he works, which ITV News understands is a pizza and kebab takeaway shop.
A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told ITV News he knew Ezedi had worked there so expected police to come but he was "pretty shocked" they were armed.
He told ITV News' Tyne Tees that Ezedi was "a bit too quiet, he was creepy" and would always "stay at the back" of the shop.
No arrests were made in Thursday's raids the Metropolitan Police said.
Investigators said the breakdown of a relationship between Ezedi and the mother may have been a motive for the harrowing incident which saw her and her children being doused from petrol.
She had agreed to meet Ezedi, from Newcastle, on the night of the attack, and she and her children were in a car with him when they were injured, police said.
The 31-year-old mum remains sedated in hospital and is still too ill to speak to police, she may lose the sight in her right eye.
Her two children were hurt but less severely.
An edited picture of the family, with their faces covered with hearts, was included on the crowd funding page. More than £8,000 has been raised so far.
The fundraiser's organisers said: "At what is clearly a shocking and terrible time, we simply hope that their burden of trauma is not added to by financial worries."
On the Go Fund Me page, the family friends thanked the neighbours from Lesser Avenue where the attack took place.
They said: "We are overwhelmed by your bravery and kindness and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you did to save our friend and her daughters. You are angels in our eyes."
Shannon Christi, who says she helped the young children during the attack, retells the incident to ITV News' Helen Keenan
Shannon Christi, who lives on the street, told ITV News she heard banging and cries for help, prompting her to run out of her home.
Ms Christi said: "I ran outside and saw this man take a little girl out the car and throw her to the floor twice. I ran over and grabbed the child and bought her into my house.
"He ran down the road and my partner chased him down. I saw another little girl crying so I took her in.
"Then, I saw the mum screaming I can't see. "
Ms Christi, who began to feel a burning sensation in her mouth and on her skin, leading to her being taken to hospital, said the incident was "traumatising".
Despite a nationwide manhunt, led by the Metropolitan Police, Ezedi is still at large.
The Met Police released new CCTV footage of Ezedi walking the streets of London, ITV News' Sejal Karia reports
As of Thursday, the last confirmed sighting was at around 11pm on Wednesday January 31, a few hours after the attack, on Vauxhall Bridge Road in central London.
Investigators say they are keeping an open mind as to whether Ezedi is dead, possibly after jumping in the river, or whether he is being helped to stay hidden.
A reward of up to £20,000 is on offer for information leading to the arrest of suspected chemical attacker Abdul Ezedi, police say.
New CCTV footage was released of Ezedi crossing Westminster Bridge by the Houses of Parliament in London about two hours after the attack.
Counter terrorism officers, who specialise in tracking offenders, have "painstakingly" scoured hundreds of hours of CCTV.
A timeline of Abdul Ezedi's movements
Early Wednesday: The wanted man left Newcastle in the “very, very early hours” of Wednesday and travelled south to the capital.
6.30am: Edezi arrived in the Tooting area by around 6.30am.
4.30pm: A sighting of his vehicle was reported at about 4.30pm in Croydon.
7pm: By about this time he was in Streatham.
7.25pm: The attack took place before he allegedly attempted to drive away from the scene, crashing into a stationary vehicle and fleeing on foot.
7.30pm: Minutes after the attack Ezedi boarded a tube at Clapham South underground station.
8pm: He was at King’s Cross tube station.
8.42pm: Ezedi was filmed on CCTV in Tesco on Caledonian Road, with a “fairly significant facial injury” buying a bottle of water, before leaving and heading right.
9pm: Ezedi got on a Victoria line tube at 9pm heading south
9.10pm: Arrives at Victoria Station on the Victoria line
9.16pm: Leaves Victoria eastbound on the District Line
9.30pm: Exits Tower Hill Underground station.
9.47pm: Ezedi is seen on Allhallows Lane. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane. Then he turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street
9.51pm: Ezedi then turns left onto Upper Thames Street.
9.54pm: Seen travelling along Upper Thames Street.
9.59pm: Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier.
10.04pm: Ezedi then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment.
11pm: His last known sighting was on Vauxhall Bridge Road in central London.
They tracked his movements around the Tube network using his bank card, but it has not been used since that day.
Commander Jon Savell said it “remains our belief that he is being helped by others” and the police investigaton will continue to “target more of Ezedi’s associates”.
Officers arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender on Monday and later released him on bail.
More than 200 calls have been received from members of the public with potential sightings, but they have since been discounted.
Three members of the public who came to the aid of the family during Wednesday’s attack, two aged in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns
Ezedi came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016, and was turned down twice for asylum before successfully appealing against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity.
On Wednesday, a Baptist church in Tyne and Wear confirmed it was aware of a “connection” it had with the suspect.
In a statement, the church in Jarrow said: “As soon as we became aware of the current situation, we made contact with and are co-operating with the relevant authorities. We are praying for all those affected by the situation.”
Anyone with information about Abdul Ezedi is asked to call 020 7175 2784 or for an immediate sighting dial 999. To remain anonymous, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers.
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