Teenager arrested over ‘acid attack’

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has been arrested by police investigating an “acid attack” which left six people injured at an east London shopping mall.

Three of the victims needed hospital treatment after being hit with the noxious substance during an “altercation” between two groups of males at the Stratford Centre on Saturday evening.

Horrified onlookers reported scenes of panic in the aftermath of the incident, which at first was feared to be a series of random attacks.

One witness described seeing a young male victim lying on the floor screaming in pain as his friends shouted “it is an acid attack, he is burning”, while others rushed to wash the substance from their skin.

Another who gave his name as Hossen, 28, a Burger King assistant manager, said he saw a victim and his friend run into the restaurant’s bathroom “to wash acid off his face”.

“There were cuts around his eyes and he was trying to chuck water into them,” he said.

Members of the London Ambulance Service (LAS) hazardous area response team raced to the scene after the alarm was raised.

In a video shot by Mr Rizvi, a man could be seen sitting on the station floor “crying (and) shouting in pain “while surrounded by paramedics.

Scotland Yard said all the victims were male and inquiries were ongoing.

The 15-year-old was held on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

Chief Superintendent Ade Adelekan said what initially appeared to be a series of random attacks “has, on closer inspection, been found to be one incident involving two groups of males.”