Police in Northern Ireland on Saturday arrested two teenagers in connection with the fatal shooting of a journalist during rioting in the city of Londonderry. London: Police in Northern Ireland on Saturday arrested two teenagers in connection with the fatal shooting of a journalist during rioting in the city of Londonderry. The men, aged 18 and 19, were detained under anti-terrorism legislation and taken to Belfast for questioning, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The men have not been identified or charged. Police had said earlier there was one gunman who pulled the trigger who had been backed by an “organization,” and said they were searching for multiple suspects. Lyra McKee, 29, a rising star of investigative journalism, was shot and killed, probably by a stray bullet aimed at police, during rioting Thursday night. Police said the New IRA dissident group was most likely responsible and called it a “terrorist act.” The use of a firearm apparently aimed at police marks a dangerous escalation in sporadic violence that continues to plague Northern Ireland 21 years after the Good Friday peace agreement was signed. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said earlier that a gunman fired a number of shots at police during the unrest. Police on Friday night released closed-circuit TV footage showing the man suspected of firing the shots that killed McKee. Police appealed for help from the community, stating that people knew the shooter and should help police identify him. The rioting started after police moved into the Creggan housing complex to search for weapons. The killing was condemned by all the major political parties as well as the prime ministers of Britain and Ireland. Speaking in Dublin, Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland had chosen peace and cooperation on Good Friday 21 years ago and will not be “dragged into the past” by political violence. The victim was mourned by friends, those who had read her work, and by the wider community. She rose to prominence in 2014 with a moving blog post — “Letter to my 14 year old self” — describing the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. In the post, she described the shame she felt at 14 as she kept the “secret” of being gay from her family and friends, and the love she eventually received when she was finally able to reveal it. She also had recently signed a contract to write two books. Hours before her death, she tweeted a photo of the rioting with the words: “Derry tonight. Absolute madness.” Her partner, Sara Canning, told a vigil on Friday that McKee’s amazing potential had been snuffed out. Canning said the senseless murder “has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with. It has left so many friends without their confidante,” she added. The shooting reveals how difficult it is to snuff out the last bit of violent resistance to the peace agreement. The New IRA is a small group who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Army’s embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as “The Troubles” that claimed more than 3,700 lives. The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing that did not cause any injuries in January. It is regarded as the largest of the splinter dissident groups still operating and has been linked to several other killings in the past decade.<doc-sep>3:11 Journalist killed in Northern Ireland, ‘New IRA’ suspected Journalist killed in Northern Ireland, ‘New IRA’ suspected – Apr 19, 2019 3:32 Authorities explain police response to Northern Ireland shooting, riots Authorities explain police response to Northern Ireland shooting, riots – Apr 19, 2019 “She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage,” May said. 1:58 One woman dead after violence in Northern Ireland One woman dead after violence in Northern Ireland – Apr 19, 2019 1:15 Politicians condemn Northern Ireland shooting as murder inquiry launched into journalist’s death Politicians condemn Northern Ireland shooting as murder inquiry launched into journalist’s death – Apr 19, 2019 1:46 Ex-British soldier charged in ‘Bloody Sunday’ murders Ex-British soldier charged in ‘Bloody Sunday’ murders – Mar 14, 2019 Hamilton said the force’s assessment “is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry.”A murder investigation has been launched but there have been no arrests. Hamilton appealed for calm to prevail on Easter weekend.Speaking in Dublin, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland had chosen peace and cooperation 21 years ago and will not be “dragged into the past” by political violence.U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May called the death of McKee “shocking and truly senseless.”The New IRA is a small group who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Army’s embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as “The Troubles” that claimed more than 3,700 lives.The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing that did not cause any injuries in January. It is regarded as the largest of the splinter dissident groups still operating and has been linked to several other killings in the past decade.Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said Friday that police believe more than one person was involved in the shooting.“We certainly believe there was more than one person who was involved in this last night. Obviously only one person pulled the trigger but there was more than one person,” he said.He said the violence started after police entered the area to search for weapons and that the gunman was aiming at policemen when the rioting intensified.“The full and total responsibility for Lyra McKee’s death lies with the organization that sent someone out with a gun,” he said.Londonderry Mayor John Boyle said the city was united in mourning McKee’s death.“I have known her since she was 16 years old,” he said. “She was bright, she was warm, she was witty. But most of all she was an outstanding individual, a great friend to so, so many people in this city in the short time that she was with us.”There has been an increase in tensions in Northern Ireland in recent months with sporadic violence, much of it focused in Londonderry, also known as Derry.McKee rose to prominence in 2014 with a moving blog post — ” Letter to my 14 year old self ” — describing the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.In the post, she described the shame she felt at 14 as she kept the “secret” of being gay from her family and friends and the love she eventually received when she was finally able to reveal it.McKee had recently signed a contract to write two books.Hours before her death, she tweeted a photo of the riot with the words: “Derry tonight. Absolute madness.”<doc-sep>BELFAST (Reuters) - A 29-year-old Northern Irish journalist was shot dead during rioting in Londonderry overnight, an attack that shocked the region and police said was likely the work of Irish nationalist militants opposed to the 1998 Good Friday peace deal. Rioting hit the Irish nationalist Creggan area of the city in Northern Ireland late on Thursday after a raid by police, who said they were trying to prevent militant attacks this weekend. At least 50 petrol bombs were thrown and two cars set on fire. Journalist Lyra McKee, 29, was shot dead shortly after posting a picture on Twitter of the violence, which she described as “absolute madness.” “Unfortunately at 11 o’clock last night a gunman appeared and fired a number of shots toward the police and a young woman, Lyra McKee, 29 years old, was wounded” and later died, Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton told journalists. McKee, who was named Sky News Young Journalist of the Year in 2006, was writing a book on the disappearance of young people during the three decades of sectarian in Northern Ireland that largely ended with the 1998 deal. She had also written about her struggles growing up gay in the British province. The death of McKee, described by her publisher Faber as a rising star of investigative journalism, was condemned by both Irish Catholic nationalist and pro-British Protestant unionist politicians. British Prime Minister Theresa May described the attack as “shocking and truly senseless.” “This was an act of hate,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement in front of government buildings in Dublin. “This was an attack not just on one citizen, it was an attack on all of us, our nation and our freedoms.” Police said they were treating the incident as a terrorist attack and had opened a murder inquiry. The New IRA (Irish Republican Army) group, which has been responsible for several attacks in recent years, was most likely behind the killing, Assistant Chief Constable Hamilton said. Saoradh, a political party with links to dissident militants who still embrace violence to merge Northern Ireland with Ireland, said in a statement it understood McKee was killed accidentally by a “Republican Volunteer.” Leona O’Neill, a local journalist at the scene of the shooting, said that after McKee was hit and fell beside a police Land Rover, officers rushed her to Altnagelvin Hospital, where she died. Slideshow ( 16 images ) Videos posted on social media showed police vehicles being pelted with what O’Neill said were dozens of petrol bombs, bricks, bottles and fireworks. “NO ONE WANTS TO GO BACK” McKee’s death was described as a tragedy by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who led a congressional delegation to Londonderry to mark the 21st anniversary of the 1998 peace deal which Washington helped broker. Slideshow ( 16 images ) The deal led to the decommissioning of weapons held by the main militant groups, the withdrawal of the British army from Northern Ireland and the creation of a power-sharing government. But the detonation of a large car bomb outside a courthouse in Londonderry in January highlighted the threat still posed by pro-Ireland militants who rejected the Good Friday Agreement. The groups, which are far smaller than those that operated before the peace deal and have very limited public support, have previously carried out attacks during the Easter period. Politicians in Northern Ireland have warned that Britain’s plans to leave the European Union could also undermine the peace deal and that any return of restrictive infrastructure along the Irish-Northern Irish border would become targets for militants. “Those who brought guns onto our streets in the ‘70s, ‘80s & ‘90s were wrong,” Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster said on Twitter. “It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back.”<doc-sep>A pair of teenagers were arrested on Saturday after a journalist from Northern Ireland was shot and killed by what authorities called "terrorists" during rioting in the country ahead of this weekend's religious holidays. Lyra McKee, 29, was fatally shot Thursday night in Derry/Londonderry near Creggan, a large housing complex in the northwest town about 70 miles west of Belfast, the nation's capital. McKee was a freelancer, who had written for The Atlantic and BuzzFeed News. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said its Major Investigative Team had arrested two men, ages 18 and 19, under the Terrorism Act for the killing of McKee. They are currently being held by police and their identities have not been released. Authorities had released surveillance video of the shooting on Friday in hopes of finding the suspects responsible. The Northern Ireland Police Service said late Thursday, "Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan last night. A single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee." "Officers quickly administered first aid before transporting her in the back of a landrover to hospital," police said in a release. "Tragically she died from her injuries." The rioting apparently erupted as homes belonging to Irish republicans, those who believe all of Ireland should be separate from British rule, were raided ahead of the Easter weekend. "Protecting the public is and will always be our priority," Northern Ireland police said. "The searches were being carried out because we believed that violent dissident republicans were storing firearms and explosives for a number of planned attacks and these may have been used over the Easter weekend in the city." There were about 100 people in the area, including "young people and members of the media," when the unknown shooter fired into a crowd of people, police said. Prior to the shooting, the protesters had gathered near Creggan at about 9 p.m. Police said the rioters threw over 50 petrol bombs at police officers and hijacked two vehicles, which were then set on fire. McKee had tweeted earlier in the evening, "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." "This murder demonstrates all too starkly that when terrorists bring violence and guns into the community, members of the public are placed in severe danger," authorities said in a release. "It is abundantly clear that they do not care who they harm." McKee was also an author, with a book deal with publisher Faber and Faber. Her first book, the nonfiction novella "Angels With Blue Faces," from Excalibur Press, is due to be published this year. Her second book, "The Lost Boys," was to be released in 2020. She appeared on Forbes' European 30 under 30 list for media in 2016, with the magazine saying her "passion is to dig into topics that others don't care about." U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has spent the last few days in Ireland and Northern Ireland and will be attending a reception and Q&A, entitled "The Post Good Friday/Belfast Agreement Generation: The future potential of Northern Ireland,” on Friday. ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
Police in Northern Ireland said Friday they believe the dissident republican group New IRA was probably responsible for the fatal shooting of a journalist during overnight rioting in the city of Londonderry, also known as Derry. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 29-year-old journalist and author Lyra McKee died after she was shot during rioting in the Creggan area shortly after posting a picture on Twitter of the violence, which she described as "absolute madness." Assistant Chief Const. Mark Hamilton said a gunman fired a number of shots at police during the unrest Thursday evening. "We believe this to be a terrorist act. We believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans," he said. "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." Lyra McKee, pictured in Belfast in 2017, was described by her publisher as a rising star of investigative journalism. (Jess Lowe/EPA-EFE) A murder investigation was launched but there have been no arrests. Hamilton appealed for calm to prevail on Easter weekend. Saoradh, a political party with links to dissident militants, said in a statement it understood McKee was standing close to police and was killed accidentally by a "republican volunteer." Police told Reuters they did not believe McKee was working at the time of the attack. The New IRA is a small group of republicans who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Army's embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as "The Troubles" that claimed more than 3,700 lives. The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing in January that did not cause any injuries. It is regarded as the largest of the splinter dissident groups still operating and has been linked to several other killings in the past decade. There has been an increase in tensions in Northern Ireland in recent months with sporadic violence, much of it focused in Londonderry. Rising star of investigative journalism McKee rose to prominence in 2014 with a blog post describing the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. She was writing a book on the disappearance of young people during the three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, which ended with the Good Friday agreement. Her partner, Sara Canning, said at a vigil that McKee's amazing potential had been snuffed out. "It has left so many friends without their confidante," she said. Canning said the senseless killling "has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with." CBC's As It Happens spoke with Matt Hughes, a close friend of McKee's. McKee was in his wedding party and Hughes also saw her as a journalism mentor. "At twenty minutes past midnight last night, my wife got a phone call from Canning, and it was without a doubt the worst phone call I've ever heard in my life," Hughes told As It Happens. "And just the blood ran out of me. I just felt cold. It still doesn't feel real. It certainly didn't then." British Prime Minister Theresa May called the death of McKee "shocking and truly senseless." Described by her publisher Faber as a rising star of investigative journalism, McKee's death was condemned by both Irish nationalist and pro-British unionist politicians. Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community. https://t.co/77JO3YSYOB —@DUPleader A local journalist at the scene of Thursday's shooting, Leona O'Neill, wrote on Twitter that after McKee was hit and fell beside a police Land Rover, officers rushed her to hospital, where she died. Videos posted on social media showed police vehicles being pelted with what she said were dozens of petrol bombs, bricks, bottles and fireworks. "We are all full of sadness after last night's events. We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past," Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement. Seamus Dooley, Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said he was shocked by the death of a journalist "of courage, style and integrity."