Elderly man dies after stolen car hits mourners outside Belfast City Cemetery

A pensioner has died after a stolen car hit mourners outside Belfast City Cemetery, police have said.

Seamus Conlon, 70, had been at a funeral minutes before he was struck by a Vauxhall Vectra on Saturday.

Two other people were injured but the extent of their injuries is not known.

Chief Inspector Gary Reid, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said: “Three men were struck by a stolen Vauxhall Vectra outside the city cemetery just after midday.

“70-year-old Seamus Conlon has sadly passed away and two other men are still being treated in hospital. Their conditions are described as serious.”

A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including causing death by dangerous driving and driving when unfit.

Forensics officers remain at the scene of the crash in Whiterock Road, west Belfast.

Sinn Fein councillor Michael Donnelly, who was at the scene shortly after the crash, said: “I got a call at around 12pm to say that there had been a terrible traffic incident.

“I’m from the community and went to the scene straight away, and it was pure carnage and panic.

“There was a lot of people angry and upset. The PSNI, fire service and ambulance were all there and working frantically on the injured people.

“This is a very serious incident. Three people from our community and from well-respected families have been caught up in this.

“There is real sadness and anger in our community.

“We need to make sure that anyone who witnessed it report it to whoever they feel comfortable with. I’m making myself available.

“The important thing is to come forward and make sure the person involved is brought to book. We don’t want to see the person responsible for this back on our streets.

“It’s a double tragedy – people were paying their respects to another well-known member of the community who had died and as they were leaving that funeral to go home they were caught up in this carnage.”

A witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said the crash sounded like a bomb exploding.

He said: “I was walking out of the graveyard when I heard a massive bang and saw all the smoke in the air and then saw a car had crashed into the van.

“The funeral had just ended when it happened and we were walking up to the bar.

“It was really busy at the time.

“The police got there about 30 seconds later and the medics arrived shortly after that and started working on the man who was badly injured.

“The man who was injured was part of the funeral and he had been talking to someone who was in the van when he was hit.”

(c) Sky News 2019: Elderly man dies after stolen car hits mourners outside Belfast City Cemetery