Gas-spraying attacker leaves nine Selfridges shoppers needing treatment when he sprays CS-style aerosol at victim on shop floor
- Shoppers treated at the scene for effects of unknown substance released today
- Man, in his 20s, was detained by security and arrested on suspicion of affray
- Metropolitan Police said gas caused similar effects to riot control agent CS gas
Nine Selfridges shoppers were left in need of treatment this afternoon after a man sprayed an ‘unknown substance’ inside a store in London.
A man in his 20s was detained by security and arrested on suspicion of affray after he sprayed another man with the substance in the Oxford Street department store.
Metropolitan Police said the spray, which has not been identified, caused similar effects to the riot control agent CS gas.
Several customers who were inside the store were treated at the scene, the force added.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called to a shop in Oxford Street, W1, on Thursday, 16 July, at 13.39hrs to reports of a disturbance.
Nine shoppers were treated on Oxford Street for effects of the spray, which Metropolitan Police said caused a similar reaction to the riot control agent
The man, in his 20s, was detained by security after he released the substance and later arrested on suspicion of affray. Pictured: the scene
‘Officers attended along with London Ambulance Service (LAS). It was reported that a man, in his 20s, had been detained by security staff after he sprayed another man with an unknown substance, which causes similar effects to CS gas.
‘The man was arrested on suspicion of affray. He has been taken into custody.
‘A group of nine members of the public have been treated at the scene for effects of the spray.
‘Enquiries continue.’