Six additional people have been arrested in connection with a riot in Cardiff that followed the deaths of two teenage boys in an e-bike crash while being followed by police. The arrests bring the total number of people detained in relation to the disorder to 27.
The riot erupted in the Ely area of Cardiff on 22 and 23 May after Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died when the e-bike they were riding crashed. CCTV footage showed a police van following the boys moments before the collision.
During the unrest, cars were set alight, and officers were attacked with paving slabs and fireworks. Twelve police officers sustained injuries, though none were serious. Detective Chief Superintendent Ceri Hughes said: 'During the disorder several vehicles were set alight, property was damaged, police officers were injured, and residents were scared in their homes.'
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the police's actions prior to the crash. Two officers from the marked police van have been served gross misconduct notices. The IOPC said it is examining 'the nature of the police interaction with the two boys prior to the collision and the appropriateness of the officers' decisions and actions.'
The six new arrests include three men aged 20, 25 and 35, two women aged 35 and 37, and a 16-year-old boy, all on suspicion of riot. The investigation continues, with over 400 pieces of body-worn footage and numerous social media videos being reviewed.
