TWO TEENAGERS ARRESTED in connection with the murder of Lyra McKee in Derry have been released without charge.
The two men aged 18 and 19 had been held at the Musgrave Serious Crime Suite in Belfast but have since been released.
PSNI officers have said they are continuing to investigate the fatal shooting and have thanked locals in the Creggan area of Derry for their assistance.
“We have received very positive support from the community but we need to convert this support into tangible evidence that will enable us to bring Lyra’s killers to justice. We will continue to work positively and sensitively with the local community to achieve this,” detective superintendent Jason Murphy said last night.
29-year-old McKee was killed when she was shot during rioting on Thursday night.
The journalist was at the scene of rioting, with reporters present saying police came under gun fire and a petrol bomb attack.
The PSNI said on Friday that dissident republicans were storing weapons and explosives for a number of planned attacks and that they were conducting searches.
A crowd gathered and that around 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers. Two vehicles were also hijacked and set on fire.
A single gunman is believed to have fired shots and fatally wounded McKee.
The leaders of the six main parties in Northern Ireland released a rare joint statement hitting out at the murder.
There has also been local revulsion at the killing in Derry, with graffiti among the visible signs of condemnation in the area.
“Not in our name, RIP Lyra,” was one such message painted on Free Derry Corner in the Bogside area of the city.
As part of the police appeal, Murphy has made a specific request for any mobile phone footage of the rioting to be shared with the PSNI, either in person or through an online portal.
“I am continuing to appeal for those people who were in Fanad Drive and Central Drive on Thursday night and who have mobile phone footage to please come and speak with my detectives and provide us with your mobile phone footage. We do not need to hold on to your phone, we have necessary equipment that will allow us to download the footage quickly,” Murphy said.
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