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Police seek public's help to find killer of journalist Lyra McKee Police seek public's help to find killer of journalist Lyra McKee
(32 minutes later)
Police investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry have called for the public’s assistance in identifying a short, stocky man they believe is responsible. Police in Northern Ireland have released fresh footage of the New IRA gunman who is suspected of killing the journalist Lyra McKee in Derry last week.
Releasing footage of the suspects, the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Det Supt Jason Murphy told reporters: “People saw this young man and his associates. Det Supt Jason Murphy revealed previously unseen CCTV footage which he said indicated the killer was short, stocky and in his late teens.
“I think people in the community know who they are and I’m asking them today to come forward to help us.” “It’s my belief he is the gunman that fired indiscriminately into the crowd, placed the community and police officers at risk and took the life of Lyra,” he told a press conference on Friday.
Murphy continued: “I’m releasing footage today from the night of Lyra’s murder and I want to appeal to anyone who recognises or knows these people to talk to us.” “You can see he is wearing dark clothing and in other footage you can see this clothing in a different light. People know who he is.”
Three men – one said to have been carrying a crate of petrol bombs – were seen walking across Central Drive a minute before the killing. The New IRA, a dissident republican group, has admitted one of its members shot McKee, 29, while she observed rioting in the Creggan estate in Derry last Thursday. The group apologised and said the gunman was aiming at police.
Speaking about the main suspect, Murphy said: “He is shorter than both of the other men and is of stocky build. It is of my belief that he is the gunman that fired indiscriminately into the crowd and placed the community and police officers at risk. The murder has prompted a backlash against the group and piled pressure on mainstream political parties to restore power-sharing and end Northern Ireland’s political vacuum.
“I believe he is the person who took the life of Lyra McKee.” Police have lauded residents of the Creggan, a republican stronghold, for “unprecedented” cooperation. But three people brought in for questioning were released without charge.
Murphy called on the community to overcome any fears and help to identify the main suspect. “I believe that people in the community know who this individual is. I recognise that people living in Creggan may feel it is difficult to come forward to speak to police,” he said. The charity Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information about the killing.
“Today I want to provide a personal reassurance that we are able to deal with those issues sensitively. At Lyra’s funeral on Wednesday we heard many messages of the potential for a better future, but as I’ve said previously, such sentiment will be all in vain if we can’t tackle the malign influences that some individuals continue to exert over our communities.” Murphy, who is leading the police investigation, said some residents knew the identity of the masked killer and his two associates. “I’m asking them to come forward and help us,” he said.
Murphy said that more than 140 people had provided images, footage and other information to police. “Such information simply gets me through the door but it doesn’t get me to the door of a courtroom. I need people to contact my team to talk to us about what they know,” he said. The CCTV footage, which begins about one minute before the fatal shooting, shows three men walking.
“At the front you can see a man circled – he’s carrying a crate of petrol bombs towards where the crowd including children, were standing,” said Murphy. “He is the tallest of the three men – I want to know who he is.”
He urged Creggan residents to set aside the traditional code against cooperating with police.
“I want to provide a personal reassurance that we are able to deal with these concerns sensitively. To date, we have received widespread public support including more than 140 people providing images, footage and other details via our dedicated Major Incident Public Portal.”
Community information and intelligence was not evidence, said Murphy. “Such information simply gets me through the door but it doesn’t get me to a courtroom. I need people to contact my team, to talk to us about what they know.”
Lyra McKeeLyra McKee
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
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