IOPC investigates police conduct in fatal Cardiff e-bike crash
An investigation is underway concerning the conduct of two police officers prior to a fatal bike crash in Cardiff that resulted in the deaths of two teenage boys and subsequent rioting. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has issued gross misconduct notices to the driver and passenger of a police van that was seen following the boys on an e-bike. The incident, which occurred on May 22, claimed the lives of 16-year-old Kyrees Sullivan and 15-year-old Harvey Evans.
Receiving gross misconduct notices does not necessarily indicate that the officers will face disciplinary proceedings. The IOPC’s investigation is centred on the nature of the police interaction with the two boys before the crash, as well as the appropriateness of the officers’ decisions and actions. Specifically, the police watchdog is examining whether the officers in the police vehicle were pursuing the boys at the time of the incident.
Following the tragic crash, a riot broke out in the Ely suburb of Cardiff, where between 100 and 150 people gathered, setting cars ablaze and throwing fireworks at police officers.