THE FAMILY OF an Irish teenager who died in Australia after he fell from an apartment complex have asked the public to light a candle in his memory on Thursday night.
Cian English (19) died while trying to flee a group of armed robbers, police have alleged.
He fell from a high-rise balcony in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in the early hours of Saturday morning. Cian was originally from Carlow, but his family had relocated to Australia.
Three men aged 18, 20 and 22 have been arrested over his death, and all have been charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery.
“Our family are deeply touched by the outpouring of support and the many kind messages from friends and family around the world,” his family said in a statement.
“Our sincere thanks also go the Queensland Police Service for their tireless efforts and everyone who has respected our family’s wish for privacy at this difficult time.
“With current restrictions in place many people have not been able to travel to pay their respects to Cian, so we invite people to light a candle this Thursday night in memory of our hero Cian, so we can all be stronger together.”
The family has asked those who light a candle to share their tribute online using the hashtags #candleforcian #bestrongertogether.
Three men appeared in court this week charged with Cian’s death. Superintendent Brendan Smith told reporters at the weekend that the circumstances surrounding the incident were “tragic”.
“We have a young man who was on the Gold Coast with his friends, one thing led to another, and he is now dead,” he said.
“I don’t know how you reconcile that as a family or a community. It’s becoming too common and we need to stop it. Violence doesn’t solve anything.”
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