"It was a happy occasion but it turned into a bloodbath."
A wedding party turned into a “bloodbath” after a row between the bride and groom’s families left one man dead and two others injured in Sheffield’s Burngreave suburb.
Shazia Bi’s brother-in-law Riasat Khan – the groom’s father – was mowed down by a speeding car.
The car also killed a resident who had been trying to help the warring families.
Mrs Bi said an argument erupted after Mr Khan’s son Hasan Khan had married his girlfriend Amani at a mosque near their homes in Sheffield.
She said: “It was a happy occasion but it turned into a bloodbath. It was shocking.
“An innocent man who wasn’t a member of either family but had been trying to help and calm the situation sadly lost his life.
“My brother-in-law was hit by the car and was taken to hospital with head injuries but thankfully is OK, just a bit hurt and very shocked.”
As police launched a murder investigation, Mrs Bi said the families began arguing after the ceremony at the groom’s home on December 27, 2023.
She continued: “The bride, the girl, was happy and everything was peaceful but there was a problem with her family who live a few miles away.
“I think they had been invited to the wedding but chose not to attend but later went to the boy’s home to confront his family.
“It was her family making all the drama. They didn’t want the girl to marry the boy.
“They were not happy that the wedding had gone so ahead and a big argument started outside the house. There were lots of people in the street.”
Mrs Bi, who did not attend the wedding because she had to look after her young children, added:
“One of the girl’s relatives had driven into the crowds. I didn’t see it and do not know if it was deliberate or accidental.
“My brother-in-law got hit but not seriously. His head was bleeding and he went to hospital but is now out.
“He and the husband’s family are not allowed home for a few days because police have it sealed off as a crime scene.
“We don’t know the name of the man who died – he is not one of our family but I think he lives in the street or was visiting someone there.”
Other locals detailed how the violence unfolded after the bride’s family confronted the groom’s family, telling them:
“We didn’t want this marriage, your son is not good enough for our daughter!”
It is alleged that the other injured people were members of the two families.
A shopkeeper told Daily Mail:
“It was a dispute between two families. It’s a fallout between their family and the family of the youngest sister’s partner.
“It’s a family issue which led to the disturbance. What followed is really shocking.”
The 46-year-old man who died was not related to either family but had exited his nearby home to try and calm things down. He was identified as Christian Marriott.
Tarek Nayli, a businessman living in a nearby house, looked out and saw “one, possibly two” people under the car, and an injured man and woman in the street.
He said he saw another man “with blood on his face”.
Mr Nayli explained: “We heard a lot of noise then all these people came out from the house who were fighting.
“The people fighting were all men. When I went outside, everything seemed to have happened with the car.
“There was a guy and a woman who seemed to be injured and there were people under the car. I don’t know if one or two.
“Another man had blood coming from his face. It was 2-3 minutes before the police came.”
On December 28, the scene had been cleared but forensic officers were searching the house where the wedding party was allegedly held.
Two other people were said to have been hit by the vehicle, allegedly driven by a member of one of the families.
One of the injured pair is critically injured while a fourth person was left with a head wound after being allegedly stabbed.
A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Senior investigating officer DCI Andrew Knowles said:
“We are now dealing with a murder investigation and understand the distress this will cause to those directly affected and the wider community.
“We have a large cordon in the area and are conducting CCTV and house-to-house inquiries.
“We’ll be patrolling throughout the night to offer reassurance and to speak to anyone who may hold information or feel concerned.”
The man’s next of kin has been informed and is currently being supported by officers.
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