The Metropolitan Police are searching for a 35-year-old man in connection with a fatal shooting at a pub in north London, according to the BBC. The force has named the man as Abreham Woldegiworgis and says he has "significantly altered his appearance" since he was recorded on CCTV around the time of the incident.
On Monday, Scotland Yard published two photographs of the suspect — one with a beard and one without — in an appeal for public help. The BBC reports that officers believe he is the person seen in the CCTV footage wearing a grey beanie and a bright orange wig.
The force also confirmed that a 23-year-old man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. He remains in police custody.
Why it matters
The case is an active murder investigation, and detectives say they still need the public's eyes to move it forward. Releasing images of a suspect whose looks have changed puts the appeal squarely in front of anyone who may recognise him from his current appearance rather than the CCTV stills.
The victim has been named as Erdem. Detective Chief Inspector Allam Bhangoo said the force remains committed to securing justice for him, and that thoughts are with his loved ones at what he described as an unimaginably difficult time.
Bhangoo said he was pleased his team had made an arrest but stressed that inquiries were continuing at pace into the full circumstances of the killing. He said the force urgently needs to speak to the man whose details and photographs were published on Monday.
Appeal for footage and information
Police said they are carrying out a number of inquiries to find the suspect and are asking members of the public to help. Bhangoo urged anyone who recognises the man, or who knows where he might be, to come forward.
Officers are also seeking wider evidence about the shooting itself. The force is asking for CCTV, doorbell camera, dashcam or mobile phone footage that might shed light on what happened.
The BBC reports that the suspect was captured on camera in a grey beanie and an orange wig. The two images released by Scotland Yard are intended to show how the same person looks with and without a beard, though the force says his appearance has changed considerably since the CCTV was taken.
The arrest of the 23-year-old on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder is the first custody development the force has confirmed publicly in the case. Police have not said whether they are seeking anyone else in connection with the arrest.
What to watch
Detectives have not indicated when they expect to locate the man they are seeking. The investigation remains open, with police continuing to appeal for information and footage from the public.
