Toddler Among 21 Treated After Pepper-Spray Robbery in Heathrow Car Park; 31-Year-Old Arrested

Police arrested a 31-year-old man Sunday after an early-morning robbery in the multi-storey car park at London’s Heathrow Airport left 21 people — including a three-year-old child — exposed to a sprayed irritant and requiring medical attention, authorities said.

The Metropolitan Police said the incident occurred inside a lift when a group of four men reportedly stole a woman’s suitcase and sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction. Passengers inside the lift and people nearby were also affected.

"A woman was robbed of her suitcase by a group of four men, who sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction," Commander Peter Stevens said. "At this stage, we believe the incident involved a group of people known to each other, with an argument escalating and resulting in a number of people being injured. We are not treating this incident as terrorism."

Witnesses told The Associated Press that the suspects fled the lift immediately after the attack. One witness described seeing three young men dressed in black with their heads covered. Video from the scene showed numerous officers, some visibly carrying large firearms, moving through the parking structure as they responded.

Ambulance crews treated victims at the scene and transported five people to hospital; the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, officials said. The arrested 31-year-old is being held on suspicion of assault, and police said searches are ongoing to locate the other suspects who escaped.

Heathrow Airport reported several hours of travel disruption for arriving and departing passengers, but later said operations had returned to normal in a post on X. Police and airport officials remained on site while inquiries continued. The Metropolitan Police said the victim and the suspects were known to each other and investigators do not consider the incident terrorism-related.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Fox News Digital contacted the Metropolitan Police and Heathrow Airport for additional comment.