Boy, 16, killed in hit-and-run crash named

A teenage pedestrian who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Sheffield has been named by police.

Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi, 16, was struck by a grey Audi which is believed to have been driven towards three electric bikes on Staniforth Road in Darnall on Wednesday afternoon.

Relatives and friends of Abdullah said he had come to the UK from Yemen for a "better future" and would "light up their faces with a big smile".

A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder on Thursday. Police said a 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender had now been re-arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

One of the e-bike riders, an 18-year-old man, suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital.

A 45-year-old woman and 46-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and bailed pending further enquiries.

South Yorkshire Police described Abdullah as an "innocent bystander" who had been on the pavement behind the e-bikes.

A force spokesperson said the teenager had been walking along Stainforth Road just after 16:50 BST when the car struck him and then failed to stop at the scene.

Abdullah's relative Saleh Alsirkal said the teenager had arrived in the UK from Yemen two or three months ago and had devoted himself to learning English before he was due to start college in September.

Mr Alsirkal runs a corner shop on Staniforth Road, which the teenager had visited just before the crash.

He said Abdullah had had a hospital appointment earlier in the afternoon and popped into the store, as he often did, before heading off to get some food.

Mr Alsirkal added: "His dad brought him over to change his life, to get a better future for his son, but this has happened and destroyed everything.

"God bless him. He is in a better place than this place."

Mr Alsirkal thanked the community for their support, adding everyone had come together to help the family.

Abdullah was a "kind boy" who just wanted to look after his family, including his three sisters, he said.

"Every time he had a new word to learn he was so excited about it," Mr Alsirkal said.

"It meant a lot to him and he learned quick. Sometimes he would stay in the shop just so he could talk to people. He tried to be friends with everyone.

"He wanted to be the main guy for the family. He was 16 years old but he was a clever man. I would call him a man."

Det Ch Insp Benjamin Wood said: "This is a heartbreaking case in which a completely innocent boy has lost his life.

"Our thoughts remain with Abdullah's family and our priority is securing justice for them.

"A murder investigation has been launched and we have a team of detectives working around the clock.

"I am renewing our message to not share footage of this incident which may cause further distress to Abdullah's loved ones.

"They have lost a son and beloved member of the family in the most tragic of circumstances and have requested for their privacy to be respected."

Anyone with footage or information has been asked to share it directly with police.

Det Ch Insp Wood added: "We are also keen to hear from the riders of two electric bikes who were in the area at the time of the incident."

Residents and local councillors have paid tribute to Abdullah, who "always gave the best smiles", and said his death as he walked along the pavement behind the e-bikes had shocked the community.

Darnall Independent councillor Qais Al-Ahdal said: "The family is devastated and we've really lost someone who is good in the community.

"Praised by everyone unanimously, he was a really good kid. May God have mercy on his soul."

Mr Al-Ahdal added the community was united in grief but was also "frustrated".

"They have been calling for safety measures for a while now," he said.

"I think the council is doing an amazing job but I feel that local knowledge sometimes gets overlooked and I'll be raising this."

Darnall Labour councillor Mary Lea said: "I can speak for myself and my colleague, councillor Zahira Naz, and say we were shocked when we heard about this incident.

"My first thoughts were of the family and the boy who lost his life and the tragedy of it all.

"Our hearts go out to this young man's family at this time; and we can only imagine their grief and pain. We are thinking about them and they [are] in our prayers."

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