Neighbours shocked after car hits crowd during disturbance leaving one man dead
A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder following the incident in the Burngreave area of Sheffield on Wednesday.
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Your support makes all the difference.People living in a quiet cul-de-sac have described the “disaster” that unfolded in their street when a car hit a crowd during a disturbance, leaving one man dead and a number of others injured.
A 23-year-old man was arrested was on suspicion of murder following the incident at the junction of College Court and College Close in the Burngreave area of Sheffield on Wednesday afternoon.
South Yorkshire Police said he is continuing to be held for questioning on Thursday along with a 55-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police said they were called to the cul-de-sac “following reports of violence and disorder” at about 2pm and a car collided with a group of people as the call was under way.
Neighbours said they were alerted by noise in the street.
Tarek Nayli, 49, said he came out of his home to see fighting in the street, a number of injured people and neighbours telling him there were others trapped under a car.
Mr Nayli said: “I heard a lot of sound, a lot of voices, a lot of shouting.
“When I came out, I found people all gathering around and people fighting.
“One guy had a lot of blood on his face.”
Mr Nayli said the car involved was already there by the time he became aware of the incident and the police arrived two minutes after he did.
He said: “I saw people fighting on that corner before the police came and the car was already there.
“The whole neighbourhood was out.”
It was very, very sad and also very upsetting, and I couldn't believe it
He said: “They said there were people underneath the car and when the police came they managed to get them out.
“When the police came, they flipped the car over and they’ve taken two people out.”
Mr Nayli said one injured man was already sitting beside the car and a woman was also clearly hurt.
Asked about the fighting he witnessed, he said: “I didn’t see any weapons but there was a lot of hitting and one guy had a stick.”
Mr Nayli said he only found out later that someone had died.
He said: “It was very, very sad and also very upsetting, and I couldn’t believe it
“All of a sudden you find people dead and a very big crime. This is a disaster.”
Other neighbours said they believed the fighting had begun over a dispute between families, but the man who died had come to help and was not involved in the disorder.
On Thursday morning, police continued to guard an extensive cordon around the close, which is a small cul-de-sac of modern houses a short distance from the city’s Northern General Hospital and about a mile-and-a-half from the city centre.
The cordon was dropped later in the day as forensic officers and detectives continued their inquiries in the small semi-detached property.
Police said one man was pronounced dead at the scene while another person was rushed to hospital, where they remain in a serious condition.
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Knowles said on Wednesday: “We are now dealing with a murder investigation and understand the distress this will cause to those directly affected and the wider community.
“We have a large cordon in the area and are conducting CCTV and house-to-house inquiries.
“We’ll be patrolling throughout the night to offer reassurance and to speak to anyone who may hold information or feel concerned.”
Police would like to hear from anyone who lives in the area and has CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage. The incident number is 459 of December 27.