Latest news with #acidattack
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Manhunt underway in popular tourist destination after sulfuric acid attack critically burns pedestrian
Authorities in Hawaii are searching for a suspect who allegedly threw acid into a man's face Friday night in Honolulu, leaving him in critical condition. According to the Honolulu Police Department (HPD), officers responded to an assault complaint shortly after 10 p.m. in the Chinatown area. Witnesses told officers a 30-year-old man was crossing the street when an unidentified suspect approached and threw an unknown liquid into his face. The Honolulu Fire Department later identified the liquid as sulfuric acid, a highly corrosive chemical that causes severe burns to skin, eyes and internal tissue. Emergency responders took the victim to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition, an HPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Due to the severity of his injuries, HPD detectives were unable to interview him to gather additional information. "The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim did not know the suspect," the spokesperson said. "Right now, detectives are canvassing the scene to recover any surveillance video and locate any additional witnesses." HPD described the case as a first-degree assault, a serious felony in Hawaii. Detectives have not determined a motive, and it is unclear whether the attack qualifies as a hate crime. The suspect is described as a 6-foot man last seen wearing a blue fitted shirt and a do-rag with a camera around his neck and carrying a red bottle. The investigation is ongoing, police said. Honolulu Fire Department officials did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Inside Britain's acid attack capital where kids ride around on bikes armed with Lucozade bottles full of horror fluid
BRITAIN'S acid attack capital is being terrorised by kids as young as 12 armed with Lucozade bottles full of skin-melting liquid, terrified locals have told The Sun. Across the UK, attacks using noxious liquids are on the increase, with figures from a Freedom of Information Request to UK police forces revealing a 10 per cent rise across the board compared to last year. 9 9 However, the statistics are most alarming in areas covered by Northumbria Police - Northumberland and Tyne and Wear - which astonishingly accounted for a quarter of chemical attacks in the UK last year. A prominent medic in Newcastle has warned of an alarming rise in the number of cases of young men being referred to him with eye injuries caused by acid attacks. And in the city's East End, locals say that acid is being used as a robbery weapon by youngsters who swoop around on bikes. A shopkeeper in Byker told The Sun: "Acid has become the weapon of choice for young kids who think they are gangsters, it's actually frightening. "You see them every day riding around on their bikes and they're carrying Lucozade bottle filled with acid. "It's a powerful acid, but they can buy it in DIY stores without being checked for a tenner and then they'll share it out, filling their bottles." As part of the investigation, The Sun was able to buy a five-litre bottle of acid at a nearby DIY branch for just £13. The shopkeeper added: "It doesn't surprise me that there's a rise in attacks because it's easier than buying a knife, and the damage it can cause is frightening. "I'm very wary now when I see kids coming in carrying bottles, and I know businesses who have been robbed by people threatening to swill them with acid. "Some of these kids are only about 12. They're too young to buy the acid - but old enough to use it." Inside Britain's acid attack capital where kids ride around on bikes armed with Lucozade bottles full of brick cleaner The safety label on the bottle we bought said that it contains hydrochloric acid and could be corrosive to metal, warning users to wear protective gloves and eye protection. While there were no nearby warnings that buyers have to be over 18, the nationwide chain store does enforce an age limit. The DIY giant signed up to a voluntary agreement in 2018 not to sell acid-based products to children. Newcastle dad Paul Laskey, 43, was one of the 200 acid attack victims identified in Northumbria in 2023 and 2024, losing sight in his left eye. Paul went out to protect his 16-year-old son, who had been robbed of his gold chain at knifepoint near the family home in West Denton, Newcastle. When he encountered 21-year-old Robbie Scott and demanded the return of the chain, he was squirted with acid from a plastic bottle, causing agonising and catastrophic injuries. Paul's eye was saved using groundbreaking surgery by consultant ophthalmologist Prof Francisco Figueiredo at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary - but he still lost his sight in it. The acid corroded both the inner and outer layers of his cornea, but his eye was rebuilt using corneal transplants and three grafts of amnion, which is tissue from the inner lining of a donated placenta. Paul said: "It's frightening how many kids are running around Newcastle with acid in bottles, and something has to be done to stop it. They need to be brought to court faster and given bigger sentences for possessing it. "I was squirted in the face with a mixture of battery acid and superglue. The glue was mixed in so that it would stick to the face to allow the acid to burn away the flesh. "It's a horrific weapon to use on anyone, and it cost me my eye. 9 9 9 9 "As soon as the liquid hit my face, I knew I was in trouble. I could feel it burning my eyes, my nose and my mouth, and I couldn't breathe. "All I could do was restrain him with an arm around his neck while he tried to spray me a second time. He was also flailing at me with a Rambo knife. "At the time, I was told the trouble spots for acid attacks were the North East and in London - the police said in London, it was used to disfigure people, and up here, it is to hurt and threaten victims. "It's the most frightening thing I've ever encountered. I was in fear for my life, and I wouldn't want anyone else to go through what I have suffered." There is still hope that Paul, a former doorman who now works on a university's maintenance and estates team, might see through the eye. The medical team that treated him will carry out stem cell injections in the hope of returning at least some of his sight. 9 9 9 Britain's most notorious chemical attack of recent years was carried out by Abdul Ezedi, who mixed the concoction in his flat off Shields Road in Byker before travelling with it to London to carry out an attack in Clapham. Afghan asylum seeker Ezedi, 35, attacked his 31-year-old ex-partner and her two children with the alkaline solution, causing the woman life-changing injuries. Ezedi himself was seriously injured in the incident and was found to have taken his own life by jumping into the Thames soon afterwards. The attack is still fresh in the memory of people in Byker 18 months on. Speaking yards from Ezedi's former home, Northumbria University student Izzy Brown, 19, has had first-hand knowledge of the devastation of an acid attack. She said: "A friend of mine suffered an acid attack from a former boyfriend after the break-up of a relationship about three years ago. "It caused terrible damage to her skin, hitting her shoulder and arm, and also caused some nerve damage. Thankfully, it didn't hit her in the face, or the outcome would have been even worse. "It's such a cowardly thing to do to another person. I can't imagine what goes through someone's mind to think that they want to disfigure someone for life because they feel rejected. "It's worrying to hear that acid attacks have become so common in this part of the world. I know how devastating it can be for the victims. "It needs to be treated as seriously as carrying a knife because the results can be just as bad. "My friend is recovering but has been left with scarring, and she'll carry the memory all her life." What to do in an acid attack: How to immediately help victims ACID attacks can cause catastrophic injuries and victims require urgent medical attention. But would you know what to do if you found yourself caught up in an incident? Here's the lowdown. Before you do anything else, call 999 and ask for urgent help. Then, the most important thing you can do to prevent serious injuries is to carefully remove the chemical and any contaminated clothing and jewellery, according to the NHS. You can do this by peeling back any items from the skin and eyes, while taking care not to touch or spread the chemical. Use gloves or other protective materials to cover your hands where possible, and use scissors to cut clothing instead of pulling it over someone's head. If the chemical is dry, brush it off the skin using another item. After that, rinse the affected area with as much clean water as possible. Do not use a wet cloth. The water will dilute the acid, so it's important to keep refreshing with new, clean water. You should stay on the phone to emergency services until the ambulance arrives and follow any advice the call handler gives. Once in hospital, an acid attack victim should receive immediate treatment. This could be in the form of continuous washing, cleaning the burn and covering it with an appropriate dressing, pain relief, and a tetanus jab if necessary. Minor burns, which affect the outer layer of skin and some of the underlying tissue, normally heal with good, ongoing burn care. But people with severe burns may be referred to a specialist burns unit for surgery and skin grafts. These kinds of injuries can take years to fully heal, and can leave people scarred for life. It can be easy to rush to conclusions when trying to help someone who is in agony. But don't act without thinking following an acid attack or it could make matters worse, experts warn. You may think that something like milk could act as a soothing remedy for an acid burn, but it's a bad idea. Milk is generally alkaline, but when it comes into contact with acid it causes an exothermic reaction, which creates more heat and can do more damage. Plus, milk can increase the risk of infection. Stick to running water - and lots of it. You should also protect yourself, as well as the victim, to avoid becoming a secondary victim. Wear gloves and protective clothing where possible. Dr Adrian Boyle, from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, told The Sun: "It is vital to get across that people don't become secondary victims. "If you see someone exposed to acid, don't try to brush it off with your hands, or you'll end up burned yourself. "If the substance is in powder form just brush it off, using a piece of clothing to protect your skin." And it's not just acidic liquids that are used in corrosive substance attacks - very alkaline substances can be used too. Dr Boyle added: "Alkaline powders that get wet can suddenly start to react." His three-step plan is to, first and foremost, avoid becoming a secondary victim, call for help and dial 999. If water is available, use it to dilute the acid. Shoemaker George Beck, 61, said: "Anyone who throws acid at another person for any reason is a coward. "In my day, people used to fight with their fists if they had a disagreement; now kids will resort to anything because they want to be gangsters. "It was terrible that Azedi, a guy given a place to live in Newcastle, went and attacked that young woman in London. It was a horrendous crime. "For a man to attack a woman that way, especially in front of young children, was just unforgivable, and it's terrible to think he planned the whole thing just a few yards from here." Student George Crundwell, 19, said: "It is scary to think there are people walking around this city using acid as a weapon to rob people. "Attacking someone with acid is such an up-close and personal way of injuring someone. I've always thought of it as a crime committed by someone who knows their victim. "It's a terrible way of taking revenge on a person, to try to scar them with acid." Gail Spraggon, 64, said: "I'm surprised by the figures for Northumbria, it's a worrying thing to hear. "But to have acid used as a weapon to threaten people is just another thing to be concerned about when there are already all kinds of violent crimes." Melted eyeballs and mutilated faces… inside terrifying acid attack 'arms race' after surge in chilling assaults IT was an act of violent brutality that sickened the nation. Just days into the new year in 2024, Abdul Ezedi travelled down from Newcastle to target his ex-partner, aged 31, and her two children, aged eight and three, dousing them with chemicals before fleeing the scene. But worryingly, the monstrous incident in Clapham, South London - which left a total of 12 people injured - has proved far from an isolated case. Recent figures show attacks and other offences involving corrosive substances rose by a terrifying 75 per cent last year, with only eight per cent of attacks led to someone being charged. Now, after two pupils and a teacher were hospitalised this week following a chilling acid attack outside a school, fears are growing that the UK could see a return to the horrors of the previous crime wave that sparked terror across the nation. And as gangs snap up ever bigger 'zombie' knives to fend off rivals, experts have warned of an 'arms race' for grisly substances as thugs seek to gain the upper hand. Dr Simon Harding, a professor in criminology and sociology at St Mary's University Twickenham, describes the upswing in acid attack cases as 'very worrying.' 'It's always been part of the weaponry or the repertoire of people with criminal intent," he tells The Sun. "Those who feel aggrieved, those who want to seek revenge, those who want to take violent action against somebody else. "But it is a particularly despicable weapon to choose. "I'm certainly hoping we don't see a repeat of 2017-2018, which we could even call the summer of acid attacks. It was quite dreadful." Figures obtained through freedom of information requests to police forces show that 1,244 offences were recorded in 2023, compared with 710 from the year before, a rise of 75 per cent. It follows a 69 per cent rise recorded for the year before. Her dad, Alan Spraggon, 93, said: "Anyone who attacks another person with acid is a coward, especially if that person is a woman." Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) carried out an analysis which showed 498 physical attacks involving corrosive substances were recorded in 2024 - compared with 454 in the previous year. In 2023, Northumbria Police and the Metropolitan Police recorded the highest number of physical attacks - 18% and 16% respectively. While figures in 2024 showed a large fall in attacks in London - dropping by 78% - cases in Northumbria rose substantially. Attacks in the force area accounted for 25% of those across the country, despite the area making up just 2% of the population. ASTI executive director Jaf Shah said: "In Northumbria, we've seen a 49% increase to 121 attacks, so there's a massive disparity in terms of numbers, especially relative to population figures for each of those corresponding areas. So this is obviously a very worrying trend. "Professor Francisco Figueiredo, who is head of ophthalmology at Newcastle University, certainly picked up on an increase in young men receiving treatment with corrosive injuries in the eye. "A lot of the injuries he's treated are related to the use of ammonia, which is quite different to some of the attacks we've seen in other parts of the UK where sulphuric acid is commonly used." Northumbria Police say that there were 96 recorded attacks where a corrosive substance was found to have been used in the force area in 2024, a fall of six per cent on the previous year. Another 25 incidents were recorded where it was suspected that a corrosive substance was used. Superintendent Scott Cowie, Northumbria Police's Serious Violence lead, said: 'We take each and every report of a corrosive substance attack seriously. 'We will always strive to do everything we can to identify the perpetrators of these offences and ultimately bring them to justice. 'In conjunction with our partners, we also carry out education and engagement activity across our Force area to educate young people about the dangers of becoming involved in serious violence. 'To anyone who is a victim of such an attack, please contact us so that we can take the appropriate action. 'To report an incident which has previously happened, you can send us a direct message on social media or use the live chat or report forms on our Force website. 'For those unable to make contact via those ways, call 101. 'Where an incident is happening, you should call 999.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Thug, 35, who threatened to throw acid at woman and 'blow her up' during campaign of terror is jailed
A thug who threatened to throw acid at a woman and 'blow her up' during his campaign of terror has been jailed. Nathan Brown, 35, from Caerphilly in Wales, hurled vile abuse at his victim and assaulted her by grabbing and squeezing her breast. Prosecutor Bethan Evans said: 'She screamed out in pain as he did so after pinning her up against her front door – she was left with bruising.' He told the woman, who has now been left with PTSD, that he had access to 'caustic chemicals' where he worked and said he could 'throw it' in her face. 'This was a threat to use acid,' Miss Evans told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court during his sentencing. Brown also vowed to 'blow her up' during one rant and called her a 'fat c**t, a rat and s**g'. When the terrified woman reported him to the police, he told her she was a 'grass'. Ms Evans told Brown she considered classifying him as a 'dangerous offender' and ordering psychiatric reports due to the nature of his actions. She said: 'Your behaviour was cruel and appalling. What you did was to maximise her fear and distress. 'She has been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of what you have done. 'You made a significant threat to disfigure her.' In a victim impact statement, the woman said Brown had set out to 'demean' her, adding: 'His behaviour was completely unpredictable.' Brown, who has previous convictions for harassment and a public order offence, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and harassment and also admitted to being in possession of 'poor quality' cocaine. His barrister, Byron Broadstock, asked the court to give his client credit for pleading guilt. Mr Broadstock said the defendant was 'addressing his behaviour' whilst being held in custody following his arrest. Brown was jailed for 34 months and told he would serve half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence. The judge also imposed a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting his victim. He will also have to pay a statutory victim surcharge when he is released from jail.
Malay Mail
31-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Azalina: NFA classification doesn't mean game over for Faisal Halim acid attack case
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — The investigation into the acid attack on national footballer Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim could be reopened should new evidence emerge, according to Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said In a written parliamentary reply, the minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has confirmed this despite classifying the case as needing 'no further action' (NFA). She explained that while police had opened an investigation paper into the incident, the AGC found insufficient evidence at present to proceed with prosecution after reviewing all submissions. 'Criminal cases, unlike civil cases, are not subject to any limitation period. Therefore, should new developments arise in the future, further investigation and review of this case may still be carried out,' Azalina's reply stated. On May 5 last year, the 27-year-old Faisal was the victim of an acid attack by an unidentified individual at a shopping mall in Petaling Jaya. He suffered fourth-degree burns on several parts of his body and was placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 10 days. Responding to the NFA decision, Faisal expressed disappointment but said he was leaving the matter entirely in the hands of the authorities to decide whether to pursue the case further.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ferne McCann's acid attacker ex Arthur Collins is 'dumped by Love Island star Amelia Peters after eight month romance'
Ferne McCann 's acid attacker ex Arthur Collins has reportedly been dumped by Love Island star Amelia Peters after an eight-month romance. Collins, 32 is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of carrying out a nightclub acid attack in 2017, leaving 16 people with serious injuries. It was reported last month that Collins was being regularly visited by Amelia at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale But according to The Sun, Amelia has called it quits with the convict after reports of their romance surfaced and family urged her to break up with him. A friend of Amelia told the publication: 'Some members of her family only found out about her romance after reading about it in the Sun and urged her to dump him especially after seeing the pictures of him injecting himself with steroids from behind bars.' The source went on to say that friends and family are concerned Amelia will reunite with Collins and told her he is 'bad news'. They added: 'They've told Amelia he's "bad news" and she shouldn't put her life on hold for him.' Reporting last month that the pair had allegedly struck up a romance, a source told The Sun: 'Amelia has made no secret of her relationship with Arthur and has told her friends she's mad about him and thinks he's the one. 'She says she thinks Arthur is a changed man. Some of her mates are worried about her getting involved with him but Amelia won't listen.' Collins is said to have a phone in prison that he uses to talk to Amelia 'all the time'. It is illegal to possess a phone in prison. If found guilty, the maximum penalty is a further two years imprisonment and/or a fine. In 2018, Collins was jailed for another eight months for using a smuggled mobile phone to call his reality TV star ex-girlfriend Ferne from his cell. Amelia, 26, hinted at romance last month on Arthur's birthday when she posted a picture of a bouquet of red roses with the letter 'A' above. She wrote on the Instagram snap: 'Happy birthday to the most handsome pain in the a**e, Love you x.' A separate source told The Sun that Amelia and Collins are simply 'family friends'. MailOnline has contacted HMP Buckley Hall and Amelia for comment. Former teaching assistant Amelia appeared on season three of Love Island - which was ultimately won by Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies. She entered the show as a Casa Amor bombshell but failed to couple up and was dumped from the island after just two days. At the time, she was the youngest star to have ever appeared on the show, entering the villa aged 18. In 2022, it was revealed Collins had found love with an Essex mum and former Page 3 girl while in prison and the pair were engaged to marry. Businesswoman Annie Jane, who presented an adult show on Babestation for 11 years, confirmed the couple's engagement on Instagram, telling friends and family 'I said yes' while sharing a tattoo of Collins's name she has inked on her stomach. A source close to Annie told MailOnline: 'Arthur and Annie met prior to his prison sentencing through mutual friends. 'They plan on getting married while he's still behind bars later this year after dating for the past six months. 'Annie is aware of Arthur's past but is prepared to commit herself to him, even getting a tattoo of his name to prove her love. 'They have a lot in common; Annie also has a young daughter, and believes the pair connect on a spiritual level. 'They fell in love after writing to each other and talking through prison visits and Annie believes Arthur is truly sorry for everything that happened. 'Annie has done a lot for Arthur's rehabilitation, she feels they're soul mates, and together they are looking forward to the future and one day having a family life of their own.'
