A suspected acid attack at a Westminster school has left a 14-year-old girl with ‘life-changing’ injuries and two others in hospital.
The ‘corrosive’ substance was allegedly thrown at students outside Westminster Academy at 4.42pm yesterday by a ‘lone suspect’.
A school employee ‘bravely and selflessly rushed to provide first aid’ on the two teenagers, sustaining injuries in the process.
Another employee flagged down police officers after the incident along Alfred Road, Westbourne Park.
The suspect remains at large, with police describing him as a tall, slim Black man possibly wearing a mask or balaclava. He fled the scene on an e-scooter.
A boy, 16, remains in the hospital with non-life-changing injuries, and a woman, 27, has since been discharged.
Two police officers who attended and felt unwell have also been taken to hospital as a precaution.
Detective Chief Inspector Dean Purvis confirmed that the suspect fled on foot down Harrow Road, a lengthy high street between Kensal Green and Royal Oak tube stations.
Investigators are testing exactly what the substance thrown is.
‘Officers were on routine patrol when they were flagged down to this terrible incident,’ Purvis said this afternoon.
‘From our enquiries so far we believe the two young victims were on Alfred Road when they were approached by a lone suspect who threw a substance at them before fleeing down Harrow Road.
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‘A member of staff bravely and selflessly rushed to provide first aid to the two victims, sustaining injuries herself in the process. Fortunately, she has now left hospital.
‘The two teenage victims – a girl and a boy – remain in hospital. For the 14-year-old girl, we might not know for some time how severe her injuries are but at this time they are being treated as life-changing.
‘I know how incredibly concerning this incident is to parents and pupils and the wider Westminster community. We are in close contact with the school and local authority, and I can assure people that a thorough investigation is well underway, and that my officers will not stop until the suspect is found and arrested.’
A blog post on the school’s website says the site is closed today.
‘Due to unforeseen circumstances, the WA school site will be closed on Tuesday 1st October,’ the post says.
‘Students will resume lessons through online learning. Information will be shared with them via Google Classroom through their teachers. Thank you for your understanding.’
Westminster Academy is a non-selective academy and sixth form. A planned Year Six open morning due to take place today was rescheduled.
The school’s principal Numera Anwar said: ‘One pupil, a teacher and a member of the public have been injured in an incident outside the school building on the main road involving an acid-like corrosive substance.
‘This was a distressing incident which took place after school hours when students and staff were leaving the school site. We are offering support to families and relatives of all involved.
‘This is a difficult time for our community and I took the decision to close the school today to allow for a thorough investigation and to ensure the school can resume normally from tomorrow with all safety measures in place.’
Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, said: ‘This is a truly shocking attack on school pupils and a member of staff.
‘The council has been in touch with Westminster Academy and we will provide educational psychologists and any other support to help children through what is a traumatic ordeal. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected.
‘Clearly, this attack will be unsettling for the whole academy and the wider community, and we will be working with police to provide reassurance and whatever support we can. We would urge anyone with information about what has happened to contact the police.’
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