THE POLICE SERVICE of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has released CCTV images of the moments leading up to the shooting of Lyra McKee in Derry.

The 29-year-old journalist died after shots were fired in the Fanad Drive area of Creggan in the city during rioting on Thursday night. 

The PSNI has since launched a murder inquiry, and the senior detective leading the investigation has called on the community in Creggan to help police identify the suspect.

“Lyra’s death is senseless and appalling beyond belief,” Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said.

“It represents the tragic loss of promise and the loss of potential, however it should not be the loss of hope.

“We know that the people of Creggan do not support what happened and they stand with us today in outrage and disgust at the mayhem that took place on their streets last night.”

A still of a suspected gunman involved in the killing Police Service of Northern Ireland Police Service of Northern Ireland

PSNI have issued CCTV from the incident which shows Lyra in a crowd, the suspected gunman at a street corner, and an individual picking something up at the same corner.

“We are releasing this to encourage anyone with information to make contact with us,” Murphy said.

“We have already received a large number of calls and information from the public and I would like to thank them for their support and for their willingness to come forward and to try to help us take a killer off the streets.”

CCTV footage showing Lyra McKee in the crowd on Thursday night Police Service of Northern Ireland Police Service of Northern Ireland

Following an appeal by police for members of the public not to share any footage of the moments leading up to the shooting on social media yesterday, Murphy urged the public to share this footage with police instead.

“People saw the gunman and people saw those who goaded young people out onto the streets; people know who they are,” he said.

“The answers to what happened last night lie within the community. I am asking people to do the right thing for Lyra McKee, for her family and for the city of Derry and help us stop this madness.”

Police believe members of a dissident republican group were behind the murder.

A number of vigils took place across the island of Ireland in memory of the 29-year-old yesterday, with more events expected to take place later today.