Bishop of Derry Most Rev Donal McKeown
On Friday night, detectives charged two men over their alleged involvement in rioting in Creggan which led up to the 29-year-old’s murder.
A 51 year old man has been charged with riot, petrol bomb offences and arson of a hijacked vehicle.
A 38 year old man has been charged with riot, petrol bomb offences, arson and hijacking of a tipper truck.
Both men are due to appear at Derry Magistrates’ Court this morning, Saturday, May 11, for a first remand hearing.
As is normal procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the PPS.
Two males aged 15 years old and 18 who were also arrested have both been released without charge.
Lyra, who was originally from north Belfast but was living with her partner Sara Canning in Derry, died after she was shot in the head by a masked New IRA gunman who fired indiscriminately into a crowd of people standing beside a PSNI Land Rover during the riot on Thursday, April 18.
Bishop McKeown said the way forward for the Creggan community was for it to stand together and let the world know Ms McKee’s murder had not happened in their name.
“Those who have been involved in things like this should be handed over to the statutory authorities.
“If we want a civilised society, we cannot leave the administration of justice of decisions about who’s guilty of things to people standing on street corners or in back rooms of houses,” Bishop McKeown told The Irish News.
The Derry church leader said whoever is involved in crime should be dealt with by the civil authorities, no matter what type of crime they were involved in.
The suspected New IRA killer who shot dead Lyra McKee in Derry’s Creggan on Thursday, April 18
“I really encourage people to come forward because the Creggan community is hurting because of what was done at its heart,” he said.
Independent charity Crimestoppers has offered a reward of up to £10,000 for information leading to the arrest and successful conviction of those involved in Lyra’s senseless and barbaric murder.
