Police Discover Bottle Containing Novichok In Victim’s Apartment
British police have finally discovered the source of the fatal dose of the chemical agent Novichok that killed one Amesbury woman and kept another man in serious but stable condition. According to BBC News, the nerve agent came from “a small bottle found in the home of one of the victims.” Police found the bottle as they searched Charles Rowley’s home in Amesbury. They sent the bottle to Porton Down, a science park near Salisbury, for testing. Though they have determined the substance is Novichok, they are still unsure of the nerve agent that poisoned Rowley and his partner, Dawn Sturgess, is from the same batch that was used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.
The discovery of the bottle leaves Metropolitan Police with more questions than answers. They are still unsure of where the bottle came from and why it was in Rowley’s possession. Their working theory, however, is that the bottle had been discarded at some point after the Skripal poisoning in March.
The head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, stated that the discovery of the bottle is a good development in the case.
“However, we cannot guarantee that there isn’t any more of the substance left and cordons will remain in place for some considerable time. This is to allow thorough searches to continue as a precautionary measure for public safety and to assist the investigation team,” Basu said.
Police spoke to Rowley, who did regain consciousness earlier this week, about the Novichok. They plan to have another meeting to determine how he and Sturgess were contaminated.
Authorities have opened up a murder investigation after Sturgess passed away earlier this week. A team of chemical weapons experts is expected to help with the investigation. Additionally, there are about “about 100 detectives from the Counter Terrorism Policing Network are continuing to work on the investigation.”
Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Kier Pritchard also called the discovery “significant.” He noted that the Wiltshire Police can now return to “supporting day-to-day community policing.” Though they believe the risk of Novichok exposure for residents in the community is low, authorities are urging people not to pick up discarded items like cups, syringes, glass, or other items.
An autopsy is expected to be performed on Sturgess’ body this coming Tuesday, and the inquest into her death is “set to open and adjourn in Salisbury on Thursday.”
