Ely: Balloons fill sky at vigil to recollect teenage boys killed in electrical bike crash

More than 1,500 folks have attended a vigil in honour of two teenage boys killed in an electrical bike crash in Ely on Monday.

Hundreds of balloons, along with fireworks and flares, had been launched on Friday to recollect Harvey Evans, 15, and 16-year-old Kyrees Sullivan, who died moments after they had been adopted by police.

Many wore t-shirts displaying the victims’ faces on the gathering in Snowden Road on the spot the place they died.

A second’s silence was held earlier than the gang broke out in applause.

It is known the police had been requested to not attend the vigil.

CCTV footage of a marked South Wales Police van following the boys circulated on social media, resulting in violent clashes and dysfunction within the Cardiff city.

Speaking on the gathering, considered one of Harvey’s uncles stated: “We’re all tarred with the identical brush right here, particularly given what occurred on Monday.

“But this is the true Ely. Look how many people have turned out to pay their respects.

“The solely distinction between Monday and right now is that the police aren’t right here.”

Harvey’s nice uncle, John O’Driscoll, stated: “What happened on Monday with the riot, that was wrong, the boys were wrong.

“But it was out of frustration.”

“Harvey was my nice nephew, we’ve got a giant household and we’re all shut,” Mr O’Driscoll added.

“They were just young boys. Everyone rides bikes and scooters around here. Yes, we find them annoying but that’s just what they do.

“But as quickly as these coppers noticed that they had no helmets, they need to have stopped.”

Nine people have been arrested in the wake of the disorder, which left 15 police officers hurt.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, Alun Michael, initially denied claims of a police pursuit.

But the force has since confirmed a police van was following the boys.

Officers say none of their vehicles were on Snowden Road when the crash happened.

The force referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which has launched an investigation into what occurred and is interesting for witnesses.

The police watchdog stated it was inspecting the “nature of the police interaction” with the youngsters and the “appropriateness” of the officers selections and actions.

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IOPC director David Ford stated: “Our investigators have been conducting inquiries and securing evidence in the immediate vicinity of where events took place, speaking to local residents, distributing leaflets and gathering as much information as possible.

“We are working laborious to ascertain the precise circumstances of what occurred within the interval main as much as the collision.

“I would like to reassure everyone in the community that our work will be thorough, impartial, and independent of the police.”

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford stated his ideas are with the households and mates of the victims, including that the folks of Ely have suffered a “collective trauma”.

Authorities together with Cardiff Council have agreed to create a community plan for the town to reply to the long-term wants of residents, Mr Drakeford added.