Two men charged with murder after boy, 16, who came to UK months ago ‘for a better future’ killed in ‘hit-and-run’ crash
TWO men have been charged with murder after a boy who came to the UK just months ago was killed in a crash.
Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi, 16, was said to have come to Britain “for a better future” before he was tragically killed in a “hit-and-run” in Sheffield on Wednesday.
In an update today, South Yorkshire Police said Zulkernain Ahmed, 20, and Amaan Ahmed, 26, had been charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder, following Abdullah’s death.
Both men will appear before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Abdullah lost his life after the horrific collision on Wednesday afternoon, having arrived in the UK from Yemen just two or three months ago.
He had been innocently walking along Staniforth Road in Darnall, Sheffield, when he was hit by a vehicle shortly after 4.50pm.
Police understand that a grey Audi had driven towards three electric bikes, colliding with one of the riders.
Then, as the car continued to drive onwards, police say it collided with Abdullah – with the driver of the Audi failing to stop at the scene.
The teenager was rushed to hospital following the shocking crash, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, he tragically died.
An 18-year-old man, who was riding the electric bike which was hit, suffered serious – but not life-threatening – injuries.
He currently remains in hospital.
Two other people – a man, 46, and a woman, 45 – were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and they currently remain on police bail.
Abdullah’s family and friends have paid tribute to the teenager following his death.
The 16-year-old wanted to be “friends with everybody” and would “light up” people’s faces with a “big smile”, relatives and pals said.
They added that Abdullah had dedicated himself to learning English, head of starting at college in September.
‘THIS HAS DESTROYED EVERYTHING’
One of Abdullah’s relatives, Saleh Alsirkal, runs a corner shop that the teenager went into just before he was killed in the collision on Wednesday.
He said: “His dad brought him over to change his life, to get a better future for his son, but this has happened and destroyed everything.”
Saleh added that Abdullah was a “kind boy” who wanted to take care of his family – including his three sisters – and was really enjoying learning English.
He continued: “Every time he had a new word to learn, he was so excited about it.
“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.”
Abdullah’s friend Oasmah Thabet added: “What I can tell you for certain about him is that he really cared for his family.
“You can really tell the character of somebody by the support they give to their family.
“It just shows the gratitude he had, and he spread that gratitude to the people around that community.
“To the people who would come around and just say hello to him, he would light up their faces with a big smile.”
Oasmah explained how his and Abdullah’s families had both migrated from Yemen to the UK “for a better life” and to “live the dream”.
He continued: “For something to happen like this and for your dreams to be cut so short, it’s a tragic loss for the family and it’s a just a shock that can’t be described.”
He said that every family in the area was thinking “what if it’s my kid next”.
“That’s something that no parent should ever feel,” Oasmah added.