Mourners pay tribute to British illegal immigrant shot dead in US: Friends and family in London let off flares and balloons in memory of ‘member of Irish traveller conman gang’

Flares were set off as mourners gathered in London to celebrate the 21st birthday of a British illegal immigrant who allegedly tried to defraud a pensioner in the US.

Salis Hanrahan, an Irish traveler from Essex, was shot to death on July 8 at the home of 75-year-old former firefighter George Barr in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Hanrahan was reportedly working at Barr’s home as part of a construction crew in the days before his death. Local reports suggest he was shot when he tried to demand £51,800 from the Americans towards repairs to the £190,000 property.

The Briton had entered the US illegally after being denied a visa because government officials determined he was linked to the ‘Traveller Scam Group’.

Members of this organized crime gang, identified by the FBI, are known for overcharging victims for construction work they did not complete.

Hanrahan collapsed on the sidewalk outside Barr’s home in Philadelphia’s Roxborough neighborhood and later died at the hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest.

The traveler’s body has since been returned to London, where more than a hundred mourners gathered in his memory today.

Hanrahan’s body was brought to a West London funeral parlor in a £500,000 Rolls Royce as friends and family launched balloons into the sky and held banners reading ‘RIP Salis’.

Hundreds of mourners gathered in west London to celebrate Hanrahan’s 21st birthday on Monday

The deceased’s body was brought to a funeral parlor near Hanwell in a Rolls Royce thought to be worth £500,000.

Mourners parked their vehicles across the street, causing traffic gridlock.

In the footage, red and white smoke can be seen rising into the sky after flares were fired on the busy road.

Mourners parked their vehicles across the street, causing traffic gridlock, and cars could be heard honking as crowds placed photos of Hanrahan on the pavement.

One of them featured a photo of the 20-year-old posing with her thumbs up, surrounded by the words ’21.’ There were golden messages saying ‘happy birthday Salis Hanrahan’.

Barr, Hanrahan’s alleged killer, is charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person.

He has not yet entered a plea and is being held in a Pennsylvania prison after being taken into custody.

Hanrahan apparently married his wife, Roseann, a few months before his death, and the couple share a one-year-old daughter. Following his death, Roseann shared the following on social media: ‘My beautiful husband. I love you very much.’

U.S. Marshals said last week that contractors were installing sliding doors at Barr’s home when gunshots rang out shortly after 2 p.m. on July 8.

Philadelphia police Capt. James Kimrey told reporters: ‘They heard an argument or some kind of commotion inside and then found the boss outside.’

Local broadcaster KYW said the victim was ‘asking for more money’ every day before his death.

The US Department of Homeland Security said Hanrahan was an ‘illegal alien from the United Kingdom’ and entered the country without a work permit.

Balloons were lifted into the sky and friends and family held signs reading ‘RIP Salis’.

Banners of the 20-year-old young man were hung in front of the funeral hall

George Barr, 75, is charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person

A spokesman said: ‘He entered the country illegally on an unknown date and location and was denied Electronic Travel Authorization System (ESTA) clearance as he was determined to be affiliated with ‘The Traveling Conman Fraud Group’, an international criminal organisation.’

The victim’s family lashed out at the alleged killer in the days after his murder, describing Barr as ‘evil’ and a ‘scum’.

A relative named Paddy Hanrahan posted about the incident on Facebook, writing: ‘Please look at the evil in him. [sic] face. He couldn’t even explain why he did this. He killed her in cold blood for nothing’.

Her friend Martina McCarthy responded: ‘I said the same thing, you can see the evil behind her eyes rip salis [sic]’.

Another friend, Michelle Bas, wrote: ‘He needs to rot in prison!!!’

Hanrahan’s sister Lisa-Marie posted a photo of Barr and wrote: ‘The scumbag who took my little brother please why us?’

But others were quick to show their support for the 75-year-old.

A local woman wrote: ‘Release George Barr NOW! He is a retired Philadelphia Firefighter and a hero. [the] Vietnam War’.

Another woman shared: ‘I’ve known George for a very long time. Frankly, I can’t believe this. I have always been very kind to me and my daughters.

Barr joined the Fire Department in 1989 and retired in 2015 after most recently serving at Ladder 11 on the city’s south side, Tommy McKiernan, vice president of the Philadelphia firefighters union, told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview.

Barr’s wife, Angela, whom he married years after they started dating, died in September, McKiernan said.

He said: ‘He was an outstanding firefighter and this is so out of character for him.

‘I don’t know if he was diagnosed with PTSD in Vietnam but it’s probably something from being a firefighter, maybe a combination of the two.

Police said last week that contractors installed sliding doors at Barr’s home (pictured) shortly before Hanrahan’s death.

‘I wasn’t there when it happened so I don’t know if anyone was triggered.

‘George isn’t the kind of guy who would just pull out a gun and shoot someone. I wonder if there was a conflict, maybe it was physical. I hope this was self-defense.

‘I’ve never seen him angry or argumentative. He was in control. It wasn’t his character to be angry or conflicted.

‘The only time I ever saw him angry was when we used to have jobs and someone got killed in the process.’

Court documents showed that the Traveling Conmen Fraud Group, of which Hanrahan was believed to be a part, consisted of UK or Irish citizens who entered the US on tourist visas and overstayed in the country. But others enter the country illegally.

The documents state: ‘Once travelers arrive in the United States, they travel to different cities and states soliciting construction work.

‘This is sometimes done by door-to-door knocking and introducing themselves to homeowners, often elderly individuals, claiming to have extra supplies left over from a previous job, or by noticing a defect or damage in the home that needs immediate repair.

‘Members often quote a low price and upon further inspection demand much more money.

‘Travelers often start with a small job (like repairing brick entry steps or repointing chimneys) and then convince homeowners that their home needs major repairs like foundation work or waterproofing.

‘At this point, Travelers overcharge homeowners and sometimes intimidate homeowners into pre-paying them for work that has not been completed.’

Barr’s family did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.

The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed that Barr was charged and a firearm was recovered at the scene.

The statement stated: ‘The investigation remains active and is being handled by the Philadelphia Police Department Homicide Unit.’