London acid attacks – where in Hackney, Stoke Newington and Islington did they happen and how many victims were there?
A TERRIFYING spate of brutal acid attacks carried out by two suspects on a moped left one victim with "life-changing injuries" and four others hurt in just 90 minutes in London.
Here's everything you need to know as cops launch a major investigation into the assaults that occured on Thursday July 13.
Where in Hackney, Stoke Newington and Islington did they happen?
The five attacks, which have been linked by police, happened within a roughly two mile radius in east and north London.
In each incident, a corrosive substance was thrown or sprayed at the victims - reported to be "food delivery drivers" - by two men on a scooter. Some of the victims had their bikes stolen after being doused with liquid.
In the first attack, cops were first called to the junction of Hackney Road and Queensbridge Road in Hackney at around 10.25pm after a 32-year-old man had been assaulted.
The victim, who had facial injuries, had been on his scooter when another motorbike with two riders pulled up alongside him.
Investigators say the men threw a corrosive substance in the 32-year-old’s face before one of the attackers stole his bike.
Shocked witnesses described him "screaming in agony" as he tried to wipe the acid from his face.
Dramatic images and footage a showed around 20 takeaway delivery drivers, from companies such as UberEats and Deliveroo, gather in Queensbridge Road to help the injured man.
The second attack was reported at around 11pm when another man, whose injuries are also not life-changing, had a substance thrown into his face by two men on a scooter in Shoreditch High Street.
The victim was taken to hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Then at around 11.18pm cops had reports of a robbery in Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, where a corrosive substance had been been thrown.
The victim in the third attack was taken to hospital with injuries described as "life-changing".
A fourth attack was reported to police at 11.37pm in Chatsworth Road, Hackney.
A moped rider claimed he was in traffic when two men on a scooter pulled up alongside him, sprayed liquid in his face and made off with his vehicle.
The victim, who called police from his home, was taken to an east London hospital and his injuries are not life-threatening and life-changing.
Following the incidents in east London, officers learned of a similar attack in Islington, North London.
At 10.49pm, in a fifth attack a man was reported to have had a corrosive substance thrown in his face by two men on a moped at the junction of Upper Street with Highbury Corner.
Police said they are awaiting an update on the condition of the man, who has been taken to hospital.
Metropolitan Police have now arrested two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery.
How many victims were there?
Police said that there were five victims of the attacks in east and north London.
It has been reported that some of the victims were food delivery drivers.
One of the victims was left with what police called "life-changing" injuries, and officers are waiting to hear about the condition of one of the five people attacked.
The other three victims did not suffer injuries described as life-threatening or life-changing.
Harrowing footage has emerged on social media showing one victim having water poured over his head and into his eyes by emergency workers.
What have eye-witnesses said?
Witness Sarah Cobbold looked out from her flat near the Hackney Road attack to see police pouring huge bottles of water over a victim on her doorstep.
The 29-year-old said: "Police had cordoned off the little area around the pavement and there was just a guy standing on my doorway and they were pouring huge, five-litre bottles of water over his head."
Local baker Samuel Leibowitz said he saw one of the victims in Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, surround by up to 60 people.
He said: "I came running down the road and I saw a gentleman leaning on the wall with a cloth over his face - he was in a lot of pain.
"He was screaming in agony, there were people shouting and swearing.
"There were guys on mopeds and some people say they stole his moped as well.
"They squirted acid in his face and stole his moped.
"People said he was attacked.
"I realised there was no blood so I thought there must have been another acid attack."
A 49-year-old man who lives Windass Street in Stoke Newington said he saw the man, who reportedly suffered life-changing injuries, clutching his face in pain after the attack.
Speaking with The Sun Online, the witness named only as Samuel said: "He was in agony.
"He was holding his face. I couldn't even see what he looked like.
“If you see somebody with a knife or a gun, you know what to look for. The problem (with acid attacks) is you can’t be prepared."
With reports of delivery food drivers being targeted and helping one victim, two firms UberEATS and Deliveroo have spoken about the incident.
A representative from UberEATS told the : “We were shocked to hear about the horrific acid attacks that happened last night.
“Some couriers who work with UberEATS were in the area and able to help where they could.
"We are trying to contact couriers so we can help the police get any information that will assist their investigation.”
The firm Deliveroo said that it has not been unable to confirm at this stage if its drivers were involved.
London has emerged as a hotspot for acid attacks in recent years with the number of cases more than doubling from fewer than 200 in 2014 to 431 last year.
Any witnesses, anyone with information or in possession of footage of these incidents should contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC. To remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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