Police tell murder trial of efforts to save life of Lyra McKee after shooting
Police officers have described attempts to save the life of Lyra McKee after she was shot during rioting in Londonderry.
One officer told Belfast Crown Court that he had helped to carry Ms McKee into the back of a PSNI Land Rover after she had been struck by a bullet, while another recalled how he had carried out CPR in the back of the vehicle.
Another retired officer told the trial of three men accused of the murder how he heard a “horrifying” scream after the shot which killed Ms McKee was fired.
Ms McKee, 29, died after being hit by a bullet as she stood close to police vehicles while observing rioting in the Creggan area of Londonderry on the night of April 18 2019.
The New IRA claimed responsibility for the author’s death.
Peter Cavanagh, 35, of Mary Street, Derry; Jordan Gareth Devine, 23, of Bishop Street, Derry; and Paul McIntyre, 56, of Kells Walk, Derry, are on trial charged with her murder.
On Wednesday morning, the non-jury trial heard from a series of PSNI officers who were on duty in Derry during the disorder the night Ms McKee was shot.
Several told of hearing a number of popping sounds at the time of the fatal shooting.
The trial has previously heard how police Land Rovers had come under attack from rioters.
One officer described the scene in the Creggan area just after Ms McKee was shot.
He told the court: “By the time I alighted from my vehicle, the injured person was being moved to the back of the Land Rover.
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“People had hands on that person. I assisted placing the casualty in the back of that Land Rover.”
He added: “Then a female approached … she had a mobile phone to her ear.
“She identified herself as the casualty’s partner and was obviously very concerned about what was happening and was asking could she go with the police vehicle.”
The police driver of the Land Rover which brought Ms McKee to hospital also gave evidence at Laganside Courthouse in Belfast.
He said: “The crowd was gathered very closely around, as we found out, a young woman.
“She was lying on the ground.”
He added: “Having seen that she had blood and she wasn’t responsive, we had the option of going for an ambulance or taking her directly to the hospital.
“We thought the most opportune thing was to put her in the back of our vehicle and take her straight to hospital.
“We set off forward, went through the burning vehicles, through the crowd, headed down to Letterkenny Road, across the bridge and up to Altnagelvin (Hospital).
“I heard the constables say that she wasn’t breathing and they were starting CPR.”
The officer said he believed the trip to hospital had taken less than five minutes before Ms McKee was handed over the medical staff.
He added: “At that stage I did notice a very small bullet wound to the right temple and noted at the same time there was very little blood.”
An officer who was in the back of the Land Rover described his attempts to give medical assistance to Ms McKee.
He said: “The rear doors were opened. Members of the public were carrying a female towards my vehicle and placed her in the rear of my vehicle.
“At that time she was unconscious, she was motionless, she appeared to have a wound to her head, a small wound.
“It was clear she needed medical attention. Myself and my colleague, it was clear because she wasn’t breathing, we carried out CPR in the rear of the vehicle.
“We continued with chest compressions and rescue breaths right until the time we got to Altnagelvin Hospital.”
Ms McKee’s death was confirmed just after she arrived at the hospital.
Another retired officer, who was driving a different police Land Rover, was asked if he remembered hearing a scream at the time the journalist was shot.
He said: “A horrifying scream. I heard that it came from my left, from a female, and it was a horrifying scream.
“A large crowd ran up to where the scream had come from. They were wondering what had happened.
“A female had been placed in the back of the vehicle to my left.”
Seven other men are on trial at Belfast Crown Court on a number of charges, including rioting and throwing petrol bombs.
They are: Joseph Patrick Barr, 36, of Sandringham Drive, Derry; Jude Forest Coffey, 26, of Gartan Square, Derry; William Patrick Elliott, 57, of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry; Joseph Anthony Campbell, 23, of Gosheden Cottages, Derry; Patrick Anthony Gallagher, 32, of John Field Place, Derry; Christopher Joseph Gillen, 43, of Balbane Pass, Derry; and Kieran George McCool, 55, of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry.
