'Corrosive substance' attack in London injures nine, including two young children

Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Police in London are hunting for a suspect after what they called a targeted attack with a "corrosive substance" that injured nine people, including two children on Wednesday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The incident started with a traffic collision at 7:30 p.m. local time, near Clapham Common in south London where "a man assaulted occupants in a car," according to London Assembly Member Marina Ahmad.

An abandoned silver hatchback was left at the scene with its doors open, according to police who continued searching Wednesday night for a man who was seen fleeing the area. Witnesses report the man threw a corrosive substance at a mother and her two young children.

"While tests are ongoing to determine what the substance is, at this stage we believe it to be a corrosive substance," Detective Superintendent Alexander Castle told reporters.

"We are drawing on resources from across the Met to apprehend this individual and work is ongoing to determine what has led to this awful incident," Castle said, as he urged the public to report any information relevant to the attack.

Three police officers and three others who tried to help were among the injured. Five of the nine injured were taken to a major trauma center, according to the London Ambulance Service.

"We will update as soon as we know more about their conditions," Castle said. "Three police officers have also been taken to the hospital after they responded to the incident. Thankfully we believe their injuries to be minor."