Husband of woman shot by ‘crossbow sniper’ puts up posters to find attacker

'Luckily she lived but it could have been you or your kids.'

A man whose wife was shot in the head by a crossbow in London has put up posters calling for justice after police failed to investigate the attack.

Nazarine Cazley was harpooned in the back of the head near Arnold Circus, a residential square in Shoreditch, on March 4.

She was taken to hospital with the projectile still lodged in her skull.

The mother-of-two, 44, is believed to be the first victim of the attacker.

Police say another incident, which occurred 200ft away from10 days later, is linked.

Nazarine’s husband, Clifton, has said his wife’s attack was not treated seriously until the second incident.

Taking matters into his own hands, putting up posters around Arnold Circus imploring locals for help with a cash reward offered.

The poster read: ‘A woman was hit by a crossbow to the back of her head on Monday, March 4, 2024, going home from work in Arnold Circus at 7.30pm.

‘She did not no [sic] what hit her. Thinking it was stone or something, she felt a crossbow lodge in her head.

‘Luckily she lived but it could have been you or your kids. Please help to get this person to face justice.’

Clifton claimed that instead of receiving aid, he was called by the police who told him to take the posters down.

He said he was with his 18-year-old son when he heard his wife screaming from the street, he told The Times.

‘I rushed outside and saw a bolt in the back of her head, behind her right ear. There was blood coming out,’ he said.

‘She was in so much pain she eventually collapsed.’

The family, who live in a council flat, have asked to be moved to a different area as Nazarine is too scared to go outside.

Clifton claims that it was only after the second attack that the police ‘decided to send all those officers out’.

Witness Subera Rabby, who called the ambulance for Nazarine, told Sky News: ‘The first thing was hearing the screaming, I came out, blood stain on the floor, there was a crossbow [bolt] sticking out of her head.

‘It was really really horrific, I’ve never seen anything like that. It’s so scary, I’m frightened for my kids, for myself.

‘The fact the second incident has now happened, I’m now thinking it could have been any of us.’

Hackney and Tower Hamlets Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said: ‘There are significant efforts to find whoever carried out these assaults, and we are committed to keeping the community updated over the coming days, as we know how worrying this is.

‘This investigation is being led by my detectives in the CID and supported by my neighbourhood teams and specialist officers.

‘My team are progressing a number of lines of enquiry, including identifying witnesses and exploring both CCTV and forensic opportunities.

‘We are keen to hear from the local community. You may have seen something on the days when these offences occurred, or you might have seen or heard something in the local area that you think is suspicious and may be linked to these incidents.’

‘I understand that local people will be distressed by these incidents, but we would urge them to go about their business,’ he added.

‘Please do be vigilant and alert while our investigation is ongoing and contact us about anything which seems concerning.

‘Over the weekend you will see an enhanced local policing presence as we dedicate more officers to locate whoever is responsible for these assaults, and help people feel as safe as possible.’

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