Hundreds of mourners brought traffic to a standstill in west London as they gathered for the funeral of a British man shot dead in the US.
Funeral procession through Hayes
Salis Hanrahan, 20, was gunned down in Philadelphia on July 8 while construction workers were renovating a house. A pensioner was arrested and charged with his killing.
His funeral took place at St Mary the Virgin in Hayes on Monday after his body was repatriated. A horse-drawn carriage led a long cortege of cars, including Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis, through the neighbourhood.
Community mourns
Salis was a member of the traveller community and was described as 'much loved'. Police closed streets as hundreds arrived for the midday Catholic service. Many vehicles displayed posters of Salis on their windshields.
One mourner said: 'We are showing solidarity as a traveller community today. He was so young and will be so missed by many.'
Earlier ceremony in Essex
Another ceremony was held earlier in Braintree, Essex, where Salis also had connections. Young and old lined the streets, with some onlookers simply curious about the scale of the funeral.
Parveen, 28, a local resident, said: 'I live just near the church. I have never seen a funeral like this. It has caused chaos and I can’t get my car out, but this is a funeral and everybody needs to be respectful.'
Shooting details
Witnesses told US outlet NBC they heard an argument inside the home before Salis staggered outside and collapsed with a fatal chest wound. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.
Police arrested the home's owner, 75-year-old George Barr. He was initially charged with first-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person, but the charge was later downgraded to third-degree murder.
A neighbour described Barr as a retired firefighter and veteran. Erin Kelly told the outlet: 'It’s just crazy that it happened here. It’s always quiet here, so for something to happen like this, it just shocked us all.'
Immigration status
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Salis was from the UK and had entered the US illegally. They added that Salis was affiliated with an international criminal network known as 'The Travelling Conman Fraud Group'.
The group, made up of UK and Irish nationals, allegedly entered the US illegally and took part in a construction and money laundering fraud scheme. Salis' family deny his involvement in the group.
