BIRMINGHAM (BNO NEWS) — Two men have been arrested and charged by British police over the murders of three people who were hit by a car in Birmingham on Wednesday, police said on late Saturday.
Shazad Ali, Abdul Musavir, and Haroon Jahan were killed on early Wednesday morning when they were struck by a car in the Winson Green area of Birmingham. The three men were protecting shops from looters when they were killed.
A spokesperson for West Midlands police said two men have been arrested and charged each with three counts of murder. “They are a 26-year-old male from the Ladywood area and a 17-year-old male from the Winson Green area,” the spokesperson said.
Both men, whose names were not released, are scheduled to appear at Birmingham Magistrates at around 9 a.m. local time on Sunday. The spokesperson added that two other men, aged 23 and 27, also remain in police custody while two others aged 16 and 32 have been bailed while the investigation continues.
The riots in England began on Saturday in the Tottenham area of London in protest over the death of 29-year-old Mark Duggan, who was shot and killed by police on Thursday when they attempted to arrest him. The riots eventually spread to other cities in England during the next few days, resulting in a total of five fatalities and more than 2,000 arrests.
“29-year-old Mark Duggan, who was shot and killed by police on Thursday when they attempted to arrest him”. This should read “29-year-old Mark Duggan, who was shot and killed by police on Thursday after they had already arrested him”.