Video: Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin and Mayor of Derry, John Boyle, angrily dismiss Saoradh claims

Saoradh's claim that a 'Republican Volunteer' accidentally shot 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee in Derry last night has been angrily dismissed by the Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI Stephen Martin.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 22nd Apr 2019, 10:35 BST
Updated 22nd Apr 2019, 11:38 BST
The late Lyra McKee.The late Lyra McKee.
The late Lyra McKee.

The former Derry police commander also said the hardline republican party's attempt to blame the PSNI for the atrocious events on Thursday was totally lacking in credibility.

He said: That statement bears no credibility. The police were in that estate last night carrying out lawful activity, trying to prevent future imminent violence and the sole and total responsibility for Lyra McKee's death lies with the organisation that sent someone out last night with a gun into a built up urban environment that was densely populated at the time and got that person to pull a trigger in the direction of police lines and fatally wounded Lyra.

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"The sole responsibility lies with that grouping and the people who are members of that grouping and obviously particularly the number of people involved in that particular attack."

The late Lyra McKee.The late Lyra McKee.
The late Lyra McKee.

The Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Colr. John Boyle, was equally scathing.

"I think the important thing to bear in mind here is that we are talking about a young woman cut down in the prime of her life who comes from a beautiful lovely family, I know that, because I know them.

If there is blame to be attributed it has to be attributed to those who pulled out a weapon, fired it indiscriminately up a street where there were many other civilians. That's where the blame lies, let's not beat around the bush about this."