Four men arrested over the murder of gay journalist and activist Lyra McKee
Lyra McKee was shot dead in Derry. (PH)
Police in Northern Ireland have arrested four men over the murder of gay journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead in Derry in April of last year.
The four men, aged 20, 27, 29 and 52, were arrested in Derry/Londonderry this morning under the Terrorism Act after the New IRA claimed responsibility for her death.
McKee, an acclaimed journalist, was killed in the Creggan area of the city while reporting on riots that had broken out on April 18, 2019.
Her death sent shockwaves through the UK and Northern Ireland and was met with an outpouring of grief in media circles and in the LGBT+ community.
Police in Northern Ireland urge people with information to come forward in Lyra McKee murder investigation.
Senior investigating officer, detective superintendent Jason Murphy, has renewed his call for the public to help them bring McKee’s killers to justice.
“I have always believed that some people within the community know what happened and who was involved,” Murphy said in a statement.
“I understand that people may be frightened to talk to us. I have previously given my personal assurance relating to anonymity for the purpose of this investigation and I renew this assurance today, as we approach the anniversary of Lyra’s murder.
We saw wide scale revulsion after Lyra was murdered and I remain determined to work with the community and local policing to convert that revulsion into tangible evidence to bring those who murdered Lyra to justice.
“I want the community in Creggan to think about how that horrific attack impacted them personally and how it impacted the entire community.
“We saw wide scale revulsion after Lyra was murdered and I remain determined to work with the community and local policing to convert that revulsion into tangible evidence to bring those who murdered Lyra to justice.”
Murphy has also urged anyone with video footage from the night of McKee’s murder to share them with police by uploading them here.
McKee was planning to propose to her girlfriend at the time of her death.
McKee was just 29-years-old when she was shot dead last year and had recently signed a two-book deal with Faber & Faber.
She had been planning to propose to her partner Sara Canning on an upcoming trip to New York, but violence in Derry cut their time together short.
Since her death, same-sex marriage has been legalised in Northern Ireland – but McKee never got to see it happen.
McKee had many achievements during her lifetime, including a viral letter she wrote to her 14-year-old self.
