This is the shocking moment an unarmed teenage mourner was Tasered by armed police at the funeral wake of a 16-year-old stab victim.

Kieran White, 18, was Tasered up to eight times with a 50,000-volt stun device by specialist firearms officers (CO19) who thought he had a gun.

The incident took place as he arrived at the wake of one of his best friends, Wesley Sterling, at Nettlefold Hall, in West Norwood, on Thursday, May 27.

Wesley, a promising footballer, was stabbed to death outside a party at Croydon Sports Arena on April 18.

Eyewitnesses told a public meeting last Tuesday how horrified mourners, including Wesley’s relatives, watched on in disbelief as police kicked the unarmed teenager.

They Tasered him and pushed him into a glass wall.

Along with Mr White’s family, the witnesses said they would now make an official complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Chief Superintendent Andy Tarrant, of CO19, said the devices were only used following a “dynamic threat assessment” when it was deemed there was a threat of a weapon.

He said multiple Taserings took place if there was a danger a suspect could still access a weapon.

Lorraine White, mother of the Taser victim, said she would demand a formal inquiry by the IPCC in to the police’s conduct, which she claimed put her son’s life in danger.

Mrs White said her son suffered an asthma attack while being taken to Brixton police station, and claimed he was not given medical assistance when he arrived there despite four clear burns on his body from the Taser.

Mrs White said: “The way the police acted towards my son was violent and uncalled for.

“He is a boy who has never been charged with an offence, who was on the way to the wake of one of his best friends.”

Police said they were called to Norwood Road at 8pm after reports of a group of young men carrying a firearm.

It is understood they received reports of an armed gang of up to 50 youths who had tried to gatecrash the wake.

No gun was recovered, and only Mr White, who was arriving at the wake from his home in Thornton Heath after attending the funeral earlier that day in Croydon, was arrested for public order offences.

Youth worker Andrieus Sankufa-John, who witnessed the incident, said: “For these young people and his loved ones to have seen a young man Tasered to the ground when they are grieving in the own way for the loss of Wesley, who died in such a violent way, must have been very difficult indeed.”

Witnesses told the meeting how the armed officers pulled up in a car as Mr White crossed Norwood Road and was metres from the wake.

Clovis Reid, 60, said: “They pushed him into a glass wall. When he bounced back they started Tasering him. He fell to the ground.”

Mr Sankufa-John said: “They Tasered him six times and kicked him in the head.”

Officers speaking at the Community Police Consultative Group (CPCG) meeting said legal restrictions prevented them commenting directly on the case because Mr White was charged in relation to the incident.

The teenager pleaded not guilty at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 4, to using threatening words and behaviour, and obstructing police.

Lambeth police borough commander Chief Superintendent Nick Ephgrave said he understood the police had not been informed about the wake prior to it taking place, and would be investigating why.

Chief Supt Tarrant said it was only procedure for someone to automatically see a doctor if a “barb”, one of the prongs that administers the electric shocks, remained in their body.

Police said Tasers had been used eight times in Lambeth this year, and three times in the past month.

The Sterling family declined to comment.