Police have come under attack. Credit: Leona O'Neill Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Police have confirmed that a 29-year-old woman has been shot dead following a night of disorder in Londonderry on Thursday. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said that police are treating the death as a terrorist incident and have launched a murder enquiry. A number of shots were fired and petrol bombs thrown at police during a major security operation. PSNI officers were searching houses in the Creggan area when the disorder broke out. Footage on social media shows police landrovers being pelted with petrol bombs and other debris. A van and car were set on fire in the middle of a road. Police have cordoned off the Fanad Drive area of Creggan. I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight pic.twitter.com/F0GHHd3HPz — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 DUP leader Arlene Foster said that news of the death was "heartbreaking" and that it was a "senseless act". "Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80 and 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," she said. "My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community." Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill described the murder as an "attack on all of the community". "The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement," she said. "I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman." SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said he was "heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life". "Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done," he said. "The thoughts and prayers of the city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace." Police now have Fanad Drive in Creggan cordoned off after what appears to be a shooting incident during rioting in #Derry pic.twitter.com/COi0kgsHzf — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Second vehicle hilackef and burned here in Fanad Drive in Creggan. Rioting is continuing #Derry pic.twitter.com/mMSq7iULzJ — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 A hijacked Van has been set alight in Fanad Drive in Creggan #Derry and fireworks have been thrown at police vehicles pic.twitter.com/v8C7zTN6dq — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Fireworks thrown at police vehicles during rioting in Creggan in #Derry pic.twitter.com/1Hb6dcBcOG — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Serious rioting now in Creggan, #Derry dozens of petrol bombs have been thrown at police vehicles in Fanad Drive pic.twitter.com/UmztUc0750 — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Petrol bombs now being thrown in Creggan #Derry pic.twitter.com/d1nOuxZgGw — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Petrol bombs, bricks and bottles have been thrown at police in Fanad Drive in Creggan #Derry during a major security operation in the area pic.twitter.com/1KEkAXYNvs — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Large crowd has gathered in Creggan #Derry tonight as a major security operation is being carried out in n Mulroy Gardens. Petrol bombs have been thrown at the end of the street pic.twitter.com/4bUkkAe0zq — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Massive security operation happening in Mulroy Gardens in Creggan #Derry tonight. A house search is being conducted. Army Technical Officers are also at the scene although the area is not cordoned off pic.twitter.com/DpDkqAkgt0 — Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019<doc-sep>Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Horrified witnesses saw the moment a 29-year-old woman was gunned down in the riots on the streets of Derry. Violence erupted in the Creggan area of the city as rioters threw petrol bombs and fireworks at police officers. The woman was shot close to a police vehicle and there are reports she shouted 'help' as she fell to the floor. Journalist Leona O'Neill was at the scene of the devastation and witnessed the woman be gunned down. She wrote on Twitter : "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover. (Image: PA) (Image: PA) "I called for an ambulance for her but police put in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. "Just 29-years-old. Sick to my stomach tonight." Police confirmed the woman had been killed and that they were treating the riots as a 'terrorist incident'. Asst Chf Cons Mark Hamilton wrote on Twitter: "Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29-year-old woman has been killed. "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry." During the riots petrol bombs and fireworks have been thrown at police officers trying to calm the riots. There are also reports a van has been hijacked and set alight while shots have been fired during the riots. Armed forces have also now been deployed to the Creggan area of the city in a bid to dampen the violence. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now (Image: PA) Video footage shows shows riot vans in flames after petrol bombs were launched. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Twitter : "(We) are appealing for calm after a number of shots have been fired and petrol bombs thrown in the Creggan area of Derry." One social media user described the scenes as "serious rioting" and claimed "dozens of petrol bombs" had been thrown. The wreckage of many burnt-out cars can be seen in photos from the scene. (Image: PA) Police are appealing for calm as the actions of the rioters is condemned by both Unionists and Republicans. Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann said news of the death was "devastating". He tweeted: "A precious life lost, we can't go back to this nor can we allow others to drag us back." Sinn Fein has also condemned the violence. Deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said: "I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. “My first thoughts and that of my party are with the family of the woman killed. This is a senseless loss of life. “The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. “I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. (Image: PA) “We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry. “We remain united in our determination to building a better and peaceful future for all. “Those responsible should listen to the people, they should disband immediately and end their pointless actions against the community which tonight has tragically claimed the life of a young woman. “I have spoken with the PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton tonight. (Image: PA) “I am appealing for calm and I urge anyone with any information about this killing to bring it forward immediately to the police and assist their inquiries.” Mark H Durkan, SDLP Northern Ireland Assembly member for Foyle, said he was "heartbroken and angry" by the killing. "Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life," he tweeted. "Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done. (Image: PA) "The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace." Gary Middleton, a DUP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle, described the violence as "disgraceful". "Disgraceful scenes of violence in the Creggan estate tonight. PSNI and members of the public being put in danger by unrepresentative thugs intent on destroying communities," he said on Twitter. Although the exact cause of the violence is not known, it flared up ahead of Easter week marking 113 years since the Easter Rising - the rebellion against British rule in Ireland.<doc-sep>A 29-year-old journalist has died after shots were fired in Derry overnight, with police treating her death as a "terrorist incident" and blaming dissident republicans. Lyra McKee, who turned freelance after leaving the Belfast Telegraph, has been described as a "bright, intelligent reporter". National Union of Journalists General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet said her death is a major loss to journalism. Lyra McKee was shot dead in Derry (Pic: Brendan Gallagher) During the unrest a gunman fired a number of shots at police, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said. He said: "Lyra McKee, 29-years-old, was wounded. She was taken away in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but unfortunately she has died there. "We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. "This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it is totally unjustified." Ms McKee had tweeted about the "absolute madness" in Derry in the hours before she was shot. The NUJ has paid tribute to Ms McKee, who in 2016 was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in media in Europe. Mobile phone footage obtained by RTÉ News shows there were at least two gunshots heard during the disturbances. The footage also shows two masked men appearing to pick up empty bullet casings. A male voice can be heard saying "they've shot somebody". Mr Hamilton continued: "Can I say also, I want to pass my deepest sympathies to the family of Ms McKee. "But not only is it a murder of a young woman, it is an attack again on the people of this city. "I stood here in January and we talked about the bomb and the act of violence against this city, and yet again we see another act of violence in this city which has had horrendous consequences and which will affect people for many, many years. "I would appeal to people, particularly this Easter weekend, to stay calm, I would appeal to people who are intent on violence to draw back, I would appeal to people with influence to use your influence and make sure this is peaceful weekend. Not only this weekend but going forward in this city. ACC Mark Hamilton says ‘our thoughts are very much with the family & friends of Lyra McKee’. He says her murder ‘demonstrates all too starkly when terrorists bring violence & guns into the community members of the public are placed in severe danger’. pic.twitter.com/26TJZMkLGD — PSNI (@PoliceServiceNI) April 19, 2019 "These acts of violence are bringing nothing to this city, all they are doing is bringing misery to one family, but also particularly to this city and also to our broader province." Mr Hamilton said: "We need people who saw this happen to come forward. We also will be putting out a portal for people to upload videos they may have taken, I know a lot of this is already circulating on social media. "I would ask people to be sensitive to the family, someone has lost their life and the last thing that family needs is to see that played over and over again. "I would have people who have videos show sensitivity, either not show them or share them with police so we can use them in our murder inquiry to try and track down the people who have committed this horrendous crime." Read More: President leads tributes to murdered journalist Lyra McKee PSNI probe dissident republican link to Derry shooting 'Bright light has been quenched' - tributes pour in for Lyra McKee Responding to a question about the current level of threat from dissident republican terrorists and whether the incident was orchestrated, Mr Hamilton said he believes the incident was orchestrated but "clearly reckless". "It was orchestrated to the point where they just want to have violence and want to primarily, on this occasion, to attack police. But the bringing of a firearm out and firing it down a street in a residential area where they knew lots of people were standing about is a calculated and callous act." 'This is their Good Friday and we have to stand beside them' Fr Joseph Gormley has been comforting MsKee's family and said they and her partner are in complete shock. "Her family and her elderly mother had to come down from Belfast to see that scene. I would love if those people who fired those shots came and saw what they did in Altnagalvin last night. "If they came over and saw that scene, of a young woman and her family. This is their Good Friday, and we have to stand beside them." National Union of Journalists Assistant General Secretary Seamus Dooley said the union was "shocked by (the) killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity". Shocked by news that woman shot dead in Derry last night has been named locally as @NUJofficial Lyra McKee. We are shocked by killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity. Sympathy to her partner, family and many friends. @kathrynjohnston — Séamus Dooley (@Seamusdo) April 19, 2019 Journalist Leona O'Neill said she was at the scene of the killing. "I have been a journalist for 20-odd years and I know the distinguishable sound of the 'pop-pop-pop' of a gun and when I heard that I took cover behind a wall," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "But, directly in my line of sight, I saw there was a police Land Rover right in front of me and I saw a woman lying on the ground beside the police Land Rover just at one of the back wheels at the side of it. "Her friends had realised what had happened - obviously they put two and two together, the pop of the gunfire and she was lying down on the ground - they started screaming that she had been shot. "The gunfire was still going on, they tried to pull her over to safety to kind of where I was, where there was a bit of shelter. We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences "The police officers got out of their Land Rover and saw the extent of the injuries of this woman and put her into the back of their vehicle - I had in the meantime also phoned an ambulance and I was telling the ambulance people where we were located and for them to get here quickly - and the police put her in the back of the Land Rover and drove her at speed with sirens going and the lights going through the burning barricade to the hospital." Ms O'Neill said although she did not know Ms McKee personally, a lot of her colleagues did. "Obviously our thoughts and condolences are with her family," Ms O'Neill said. "This is a tragic loss of a young woman who had her whole life in front of her, a journalism career in front of her, her whole life to lead. "29 years of age, her life has been lost needlessly." She added: "What we need now is calm, what we need is solidarity for the people of Derry, and for us to stand firm as political, religious and civic leaders. "We must all stand firm in the fact that these people should disband and desist. "They have no role to play in our community." Additional Reporting PA<doc-sep>
A 29-year-old woman has been killed after shots were fired during riots in Derry, Northern Ireland. Police are treating the death as a "New IRA terrorist incident" and have launched a murder investigation. Petrol bombs, bricks and bottles were hurled at police Land Rovers following raids on Thursday night. There were also reports a hijacked van was set on fire and fireworks were lobbed at police during the rioting, Belfast Live reports. The victim, who has been named as journalist Lyra McKee, was reportedly hit by a stray bullet. Fellow journalist Leona O'Neill witnessed the killing. She wrote on Twitter: "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight. (Image: FACEBOOK) "I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight." A friend told MailOnline: "The loss her friends feel is unquantifiable. Unfathomable. She is utterly irreplaceable." Speaking at a press conference at Strand Road PSNI station in Londonderry on Friday morning , Assistant Chief Constable for District Policing Mark Hamilton said Lyra was murdered by dissident republicans. (Image: PA) He said police had been carrying out a search operation in the Creggan area of Derry when a public order situation developed during which more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police and two cars hijacked and set on fire. "Unfortunately, at 11pm last night, a gunman appeared and fired a number of shots towards police and a young woman, Lyra McKee, 29 years old, was wounded," she said. "She was taken away in a police landrover to Altnagelvin Hospital but unfortunately she has died there. We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. (Image: PA) "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the new IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry." Sinn Fein, Ireland's pro-republican party, condemned the killing and blamed it on "so-called dissidents". Mobile phone footage purporting to be from the scene shows at least two shots being fired before a distant scream can be heard. (Image: PA) "They've shot someone up there," a male voice says on another clip, which has not been verified. Other footage shows shows riot vans in flames after petrol bombs were launched. Armed officers have been deployed to the streets while police chiefs appealed for calm. (Image: PA) The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Twitter: "(We) are appealing for calm after a number of shots have been fired and petrol bombs thrown in the Creggan area of Derry." One social media user described the scenes as "serious rioting" and claimed "dozens of petrol bombs" had been thrown. The wreckage of many burnt-out cars can be seen in photos from the scene. (Image: PA) Superintendent Alan Hutton said before the death was confirmed: “We are currently responding to reports that a member of the public has been injured and I would appeal for calm." Mark H Durkan, SDLP Northern Ireland Assembly member for Foyle, said he was "heartbroken and angry" by the killing. "Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life," he tweeted. "Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace." (Image: PA) (Image: PA) Meanwhile the Police Federation for Northern Ireland said: “Absolutely no excuse for attacking PSNI colleagues in this manner. "They are protecting that community and aren’t there for the good of their health. Such behaviour should be roundly condemned.” Gary Middleton, a DUP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle, described the violence as "disgraceful". "Disgraceful scenes of violence in the Creggan estate tonight. PSNI and members of the public being put in danger by unrepresentative thugs intent on destroying communities," he said on Twitter. Although the exact cause of the violence is not known, it flared up ahead of Easter week marking 113 years since the Easter Rising - the rebellion against British rule in Ireland. (Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter) Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster condemned the killing: "Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart.