A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm after what is believed to have been an acid attack outside a school in west London earlier this week.
Detectives said a 14-year-old girl has been left with potentially life-changing injuries after the incident at Westminster academy on Monday afternoon, while a 16-year-old boy and a teacher were hospitalised then discharged, having suffered less severe injuries.
Det Supt Scott Ware, investigating the incident, said: “The investigation team has been working tirelessly to piece together the events in which two young victims, aged 16 and 14, were approached outside the school by a lone man who threw a substance at them before fleeing.
“We launched an urgent manhunt to identify and arrest the man responsible for this horrific attack. I am pleased to confirm a man was arrested in the early hours of this morning in connection with the incident.”
On Wednesday, the father of the 14-year-old girl said she had been left with “severe injuries”. Writing on an online fundraising page, Corey McFarlane said words could not express the “shock, pain, and trauma” his teenage daughter was going through, “physically and emotionally”. He added that his daughter was “a fighter” but said “she needs her community behind her more than ever”.
McFarlane said: “This senseless act of violence has left her with severe injuries that require urgent and long-term medical care, surgeries, rehabilitation, and mental health support.” Police have said she returned to hospital, having been briefly discharged by doctors.
Ware said: “It may still be some time before we know the true extent of how serious her injuries are, but at this time they are being treated as potentially life-changing. The 16-year-old boy has now been discharged by the hospital and fortunately his injuries are not as severe as the girl’s. A member of staff from the school also sustained injuries as she rushed to the youngsters to provide first aid to them.
“We will maintain a visible policing presence outside the school and will continue to work closely with the school and local authority.”
Police have urged anyone with information to get in touch, with Ware particularly wanting to hear from anyone who may have dashcam footage.
