Video footage showing the moments before journalist Lyra McKee’s death has been released by police in Northern Ireland. Ms McKee, 29, was shot in the head as she covered disturbances in Londonderry and died later in hospital. Police have blamed dissident republicans for the murder and believe more than one person was involved. CCTV captures Ms McKee’s final moments in the crowd and mobile phone footage shows the suspected gunman. In the video, the masked attacker leans from behind cover and appears to fire shots towards police and onlookers. Urging anyone with information to come forward, he said: “People saw the gunman and people saw those who goaded young people out onto the streets, people know who they are.
“The answers to what happened… lie within the community.”
He said police had already received “a large number of calls and information”.
Bill Clinton
✔@BillClinton
Heartbroken by the murder of Lyra McKee and the violence in Derry. The challenges in NI today are real–but we cannot let go of the last 21 years of hard-won peace and progress. This tragedy is a reminder of how much everyone has to lose if we do
Northern Ireland Police appear to have identified someone they want to speak to or want information about. One man appears to lift his hand and shoot a weapon before leaving the scene. Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said”We also know that a range of footage is circulating on social media however I cannot stress enough how important it is that people who were in the area last night and who recorded video and took photos share what they have with us via our Major Incident Public Portal.”
He added: “People saw the gunman and people saw those who goaded young people out onto the streets, people know who they are. The answers to what happened last night lie within the community. I am asking people to do the right thing for Lyra McKee, for her family and for the city of Derry/Londonderry and help us stop this madness.”
A gunman fired a number of shots at police, one of which hit Ms McKee in the head.
Tributes to Ms McKee were offered by Arlene Foster, Theresa May, and Leo Varadkar, as well as Sinn Fein’s deputy leader Michelle O’Neill and Robin Swann, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.
Former US president Bill Clinton also paid tribute, calling it a tragedy.
