Traffic in a corner of west London came to a standstill as hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of a British illegal immigrant shot dead in the US.
Salis Hanrahan, 20, was gunned down in Philadelphia on July 8 as construction workers carried out renovation work on a house.
A pensioner was arrested and charged with killing him.
Salis, who had entered the US illegally, is understood to have been denied a visa after officials determined he was affiliated with an international criminal fraud network – something his family denies.
His funeral was held at St Mary the Virgin in Hayes on Monday following his repatriation from the US.
A huge funeral cortège, led by a horse-drawn carriage carrying his coffin, saw a long line of cars snake across the neighbourhood of Hayes. Fleets of Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis were seen in the area.
Salis was a member of the traveller community and was ‘much loved’, mourners said. Police closed streets as hundreds arrived for the midday service.
Many of the vehicles were sporting posters of Salis on their windshields ahead of the Catholic service.
One mourner said: ‘We are showing solidarity as a traveller community today. He was so young and will be so missed by many.’
Huge floral tributes accompanied the coffin, which the family carried into the church.
Another ceremony was held earlier in Braintree, Essex, where Salis also had connections.
Young and old stood shoulder to shoulder as they lined the streets. Not all were from the travelling community – some were simply curious to see the scale of the funeral.
Parveen, 28, said: ‘I live just near the church. I have never seen a funeral like this. It has caused chaos and I can’t get my car out, but this is a funeral and everybody needs to be respectful.’
Salis’ death has made headlines on both sides of the Atlantic.
Witnesses told US outlet NBC they heard an argument inside the home before Salis staggered outside and collapsed with a fatal chest wound.
He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.
Police arrested the home’s owner, 75-year-old George Barr.
He was initially charged with first-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person.
The charge was later downgraded to third-degree murder.
A neighbour described him as a retired firefighter and veteran.
Erin Kelly told the outlet: ‘It’s just crazy that it happened here. It’s always quiet here, so for something to happen like this, it just shocked us all.’
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Salis was from the UK and had entered the US illegally.
They added that Salis was affiliated with an international criminal network known as ‘The Travelling Conman Fraud Group’.
The group, made up of UK and Irish nationals, illegally entered the US where they took part in a construction and money laundering fraud scheme, according to officials.
Salis’ family deny his involvement in the group.
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