Thousands of mourners line streets for funeral of boys killed in Cardiff crash that sparked riots

Hundreds of mourners lined the streets for the funeral of two teenagers killed in a crash in Cardiff that sparked riots.

Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in May after the e-bike they were riding was followed by a police van.

Their death sparked riots which included violent clashes with police and damage to property, with nine people arrested and 15 police officers injured.

A joint service for the two teenagers was held at the Church of the Resurrection on Grand Avenue in Ely, followed by a burial and wake.

The two best friends will be buried in the same plot, their families said. A procession, featuring around 200 motorbikes, two limousines, four hearses and eight Rolls-Royces, left the funeral home on Cowbridge Road West at about noon before stopping at the homes of the two boys.

Just before the service, a light aircraft circled the sky towing a sign that read RIP Kyrees And Harvey Young Kings.

The four hearses carried individual floral tributes which read Harvey, Kyrees and Best, Friends and those gathered outside clapped as the cars carrying close family passed by.

A number of people became emotional as the two coffins were carried into the church by family members to All My Life by American rappers Lil Durk ft. J. Cole was played.

The hymn All Things Bright And Beautiful was sung by the congregation before a reading and members of both families shared memories of the boys.

Following prayers the service ended with I’ll Be Missing You by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans ft. 112.

Local schools closed for the afternoon and bus routes were diverted around the area, as thousands were expected to line the streets outside the church.

The families of the boys asked attendees of the funeral wear blue and a moment of silence was held during the service in their memory. After the service, the boys were taken to their final resting place in Western Cemetery and a wake is to be held afterwards at Cardiff City Stadium.

The Reverend Canon Jan Gould said: “It’s important for the family especially, but actually for the whole community have some closure now and to begin to move on.

“My hope is that moving on from this now the community can begin to rebuild. And hopefully the families will find some peace from the service.”

Claims of a pursuit by police officers before the tragedy were initially denied by Alun Michael, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, but the force has since confirmed a van was following Kyrees and Harvey.

The two police officers who followed the teenagers in a marked police van were served with gross misconduct notices, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said in June. The IOPC said police are reviewing hundreds of video footage clips of the incident as part of their investigation.

South Wales Police have faced criticism from family members of the two boys killed in the incident. John O’Driscoll, Harvey Evans’s great-uncle, said the police “should have stopped” when they saw the two teenage boys were not wearing helmets.

Harvey’s aunt Hayley Murphy previously claimed the two boys “were chased to their death by South Wales Police”.

Following the deaths, Harvey’s family said their hearts were “truly broken” over the loss of the “much-loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, friend and boyfriend”. The family of Kyrees said the 16-year-old was “a loving, caring handsome young man”.