London Police Close Inquiry of Jogger Who Pushed Woman Into Traffic

LONDON — The identity of a jogger in southwest London who pushed a woman into the path of a bus will most likely remain a mystery, as police have said that all leads have been exhausted and that they are closing the investigation.

The inquiry began after the woman, 33, was sent tumbling into a bus lane on Putney Bridge on May 5, 2017, when the jogger shoved her off the sidewalk. She fell backward and hit her head on the pavement, narrowly escaping more serious injury after a bus driver saw her and swerved into the opposite lane.

The episode came to the attention of the public only months later, however, when the Metropolitan Police released surveillance video in August 2017, appealing to the public for information.

The jogger who pushed the woman immediately ran off, but surveillance cameras captured him roughly 15 minutes later running on the other side of the bridge, and ignoring the victim when she confronted him.

The footage shared by police was viewed millions of times and drew outrage, with many faulting officers for not finding a man who may still be crossing the bridge regularly on his running route. Some on social media have suggested raising money to establish a local team to investigate the case.

The suspect has been described as a white male in his early- to mid-30s, with short brown hair and brown eyes.

An American private-equity executive who lives in London was arrested in connection with the case, but he was released when he proved that he was abroad at the time of the episode.

The police have looked into leads involving more than 50 people over the course of the investigation, but the inquiry stalled.

“As a suspect has not been identified, and as all lines of inquiry have now been exhausted,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement by email Wednesday, “the investigation has been closed.”

“Should any new information come to light,” they added, “this will be explored.”