“It’s my belief he is the gunman”
Police investigating the murder of Lyra McKee have launched a fresh appeal for information and released footage which they believe identifies the gunman that fired into the crowd.
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy has said: “I want to find the people who murdered Lyra and I believe the information that can help us bring those responsible to justice lies within the local community. Approximately 100 people were on the ground on the night Lyra was murdered – people saw the gunman and his associates. I think people within the community know who they are. I’m asking them to come forward and help us.
“About one minute before Lyra was murdered, three men walked across Central Drive from the direction of the shops. In the footage you can see these men. 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. He is the tallest of the three men – I want to know who he is.
“Behind him you can see two other men. The man on the inside nearest the wall is the next tallest. He’s wearing dark skinny jeans, blue Nike trainers with a white tick and a white sole. He’s wearing a camouflage scarf or other covering across his face. Do you know this man?
“In other footage he can be seen holding a petrol bomb and in the new light his clothing is clearly visible.
“As he walked along the footpath, he was accompanied by the third man. In the footage you can see that he is shorter than both of the other men and of stocky build. 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. 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”.
The footage can be viewed below.
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy adds: “I recognise people living in Creggan may feel it’s difficult to come forward to speak to police. I want to provide a personal reassurance that we are able to deal with these concerns sensitively.
“At Lyra’s funeral on Wednesday we heard many messages about the potential for a better future but as I have said previously, such sentiment will all be in vain if collectively we cannot tackle the malign influence that some individuals continue to exert over our communities”.
Anyone who has any information, or who witnessed the murder, is being urged to contact the police on 101.
People can also provide information anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers and on 0800 555 111.
More information can be found here.
