Police investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry have called for the public’s assistance in identifying a short, stocky suspect they believe to be the gunman.
Releasing footage taken on the night of McKee’s death, PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy told reporters: “People saw this young man and his associates.
“I think people in the community know who they are and I’m asking them today to come forward to help us.”
The footage features three suspects, one of whom is carrying a crate of petrol bombs, another who is pictured holding a petrol bomb with a scarf obscuring his face and a third, who is the suspected gunman.
Murphy continued: “I want to appeal to anyone who recognises or knows these people to talk to us.”
Three men were seen walking across Central Drive a minute before the killing.
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.”
“I believe he is the person who took the life of Lyra McKee.”
Murphy called on the community to overcome any fears and come forward 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.
“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.”
More than 140 people have provided images, footage and other information to police, he said.
“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 added.
McKee died as a result of injuries sustained when she was shot on the Creggan estate on April 18.
The gunman was aiming at police during disturbances in the Creggan when he hit McKee, who died in Altnagelvin Hospital in the city.
Dissident group the New IRA admitted responsibility for her murder in a statement given to The Irish News using a recognised code word. The group offered “full and sincere apologies” to her family and friends.
On Friday it was announced that the social media accounts for dissident republican group Saoradh have been suspended. Saoradh, liberation in Irish, is a grouping which has the support of the dissident republican group the New IRA.
A 57-year-old woman arrested on Tuesday morning by detectives investigating the murder has now been released unconditionally.
Two men aged 18 and 19 were initially arrested in connection with the killing but were later released without charge.