Home UK Journalist, 29, shot dead in ‘terrorist incident’ in Londonderry

Journalist, 29, shot dead in ‘terrorist incident’ in Londonderry

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A 29-year-old journalist who was shot dead as she covered riots in Northern Ireland has been named as Lyra McKee.

Police have described the shooting – which happened during late-night disturbances in Londonderry – as a "terrorist act".

Detectives have said the New IRA, a dissident republican group, was most likely behind the reporter's murder.

Image: Lyra McKee was shot dead as she covered riots in Londonderry

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: "This murder demonstrates all too starkly that when terrorists bring violence and guns into the community, members of the public are placed in severe danger. It is abundantly clear that they do not care who they harm.

"This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it's totally unjustified.

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"But not only is it a murder of a young woman, it is an attack again on the people of this city."

Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Image: Police are calling for calm after riots

Trouble broke out on Thursday night as officers carried out a search operation aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of Irish independence.

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During the disturbances, more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers – and two cars were hijacked and set on fire.

A gunman fired a number of shots at police, one of which hit Ms McKee in the head.

Police believe New IRA behind murder

Leona O'Neill, who was at the scene, said she called an ambulance for the journalist.

She tweeted: "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died."

It is understood Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner.

In 2016, Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 in media. She had been working on a new book which had been due to be published in 2020.

Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Image: Officers took the woman to hospital in a police vehicle

Sky's senior Ireland correspondent David Blevins said tensions had been building in Creggan in the run-up to Easter, when republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 uprising against British rule in Ireland.

He explained: "There was some disorder last Easter when dissident republicans, who are opposed to the peace process, organised an illegal parade there.

"Earlier this week, they said police would be to blame for any disorder this year and warned what they called 'British crown forces' not to saturate the area.

"Despite the fact that we are 21 years past the Good Friday Agreement, 26 years into the terrorist ceasefires in Northern Ireland, dissident republicans, renegade republican groups still oppose the peace process and the threat level posed by them has never been deemed less than severe in Northern Ireland – remember just two months ago they detonated a car bomb in this very city."

A PSNI officer conducts a search after shots where reportedly fired in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Image: Shots were fired in Creggan, Derry

Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The death of Lyra Read More – Source

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