Richard Mannington Bowes, 68, who was set upon as he tried to stamp out a fire during riots in Ealing, west London, has died, Scotland Yard has confirmed. Mr Bowes, of Haven Green, Ealing, suffered serious head injuries and was placed on a life-support machine following the attack, which took place at around 10.45pm on Monday as violence spread through the capital.He died just before midnight last night, Scotland Yard said.
His next of kin have been informed and a post mortem examination will be held in due course, police added.Detective Chief Inspector John McFarlane, of the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: “This was a brutal incident that resulted in the senseless killing of an innocent man.
“I still need the assistance of the community who may have witnessed the attack on Richard, to come forward and provide information or images they may have recorded on mobile devices. This information could be crucial in catching his killer.”Police have issued two CCTV images of a man suspected of carrying out the assault and said he was actively engaged in the rioting and looting that devastated the area.
Detectives said the suspect was in the Ealing Broadway area from around 8pm onwards with a large group of people and appeared to be known to a considerable number of youths and young men who were also in the area.He is described as black with a big build and was wearing a white t-shirt with writing on the front with a dark coloured jumper over his shoulders.
A witness, who gave his name as Jim and owns Big Jim’s Trims in Ealing, said rioters attacked Mr Bowes when he tried to put out a fire they had started in a supermarket bin near the Arcadia shopping centre.Jim, 40, who owns hairdressing shops on The Green and Devonshire Road, said: “I went up to Spring Bridge Road to check on my other shop and saw him on the ground.
“The rioters had set a bin alight and then they jumped on him when he tried to put it out.”Scotland Yard said officers were in the area dealing with violent disorder when they became aware of Mr Bowes being attacked.They managed to reach him to administer first aid despite coming under fire from missiles, the Met added. – Skynews
