Lyra McKee was shot dead by a stray bullet in terror attack in Northern Ireland

Just 10 minutes before she was shot dead, journalist Lyra McKee posted a haunting tweet about the violent riots that broke out on the streets in Northern Ireland.

Lyra McKee has been remembered as an “inspiring” journalist after the 29-year-old was shot dead during deadly riots in Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

Authorities are calling it a “terrorist incident” with police chiefs saying they have launched a murder probe after the investigative journalist from Belfast died from her injuries.

Dissident Republicans are being blamed for the killing, the BBC reports.

Ms McKee, who is also an author, was at the scene covering the unrest.

Just ten minutes before she was shot, she posted a photograph of the violent scene online alongside the caption: “Derry tonight. Absolute madness.”

Journalist and author Lyra McKee has been identified as the 29-year-old woman shot and killed during violent riots in Northern Ireland.

McKee was described as “a journalist of courage, style and integrity” by Séamus Dooley, the assistant general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, to which the writer belonged, CNN reported.

She is believed to have been killed by a stray bullet.

A major security operation is under way in the Creggan area of the city, with rioters hurling bricks, bottles and fire bombs at police.

Fireworks are also understood to have been set off in the direction of officers and a hijacked van was set alight. Armed cops are now patrolling the streets.

“Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29 year old woman has been killed,” the Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Twitter.

“We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder inquiry.”

Ms McKee received global acclaim for her writing in 2014, when a letter she addressed to her younger self went viral, CNN reported.

A car burns after petrol bombs were thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. Picture: AP

Armed police at the scene of unrest in Northern Ireland. Picture: AP

Discussing her experience growing up gay and closeted at school, Ms McKee wrote: “Life is so hard right now. Every day, you wake up wondering who else will find out your secret and hate you.”

“It’s going to be okay,” she added.

POLICE CALLED FOR CALM

Police had earlier called for calm after the riot broke out on Thursday evening in a housing estate.

Harrowing witness accounts on social media suggest the victim may have been hit by a stray bullet aimed at police.

Local council candidate Emmet Doyle wrote: “A masked figure stopped at the bottom of the road and fired shots up towards the (police) Land Rovers.

“We all turned and ran, I stopped beside the land rover nearer the top of the street and a girl beside me dropped to the ground.”

Petrol bombs are thrown at police. Picture: AP

Petrol bombs are thrown at police. Picture: AP

BBC reports the trouble began when authorities raided properties in the area, with its Northern Ireland home affairs editor Hulian O’Neill saying dissident Republicans are being blamed for starting the unrest.

“Happened during disorder following police searches,” he said.

Express reports that an armoured vehicle that was part of the raid upset a mob of locals in the Irish Republican heartland.

Sky News UK senior Ireland correspondent David Blevins said there had been an ominous warning days ago from Republicans.

A hijacked car explodes after being set on fire. Picture: AP

“Earlier this week, they said police would be to blame for any disorder this year and warned what they called ‘British crown forces’ not to saturate the area,” Blevins said.

“Despite the fact that we are 21 years past the Good Friday Agreement, 26 years into the terrorist ceasefires in Northern Ireland, dissident republicans, renegade republican groups still oppose the peace process and the threat level posed by them has never been deemed less than severe in Northern Ireland — remember just two months ago they detonated a car bomb in this very city.”

Leona O’Neill, a journalist for the Belfast Telegraph who was at the scene, said she called the ambulance for Ms McKee after she was shot.

“I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry,” she tweeted.

“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.”

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

This was my friend and colleague. On Tuesday I submitted my PhD dissertation to my school's library and I thanked Lyra in the acknowledgements. I never got to tell her. https://t.co/i0XfxC3Ba3

— 🦖☄️🌋 (@gitagovinda) April 19, 2019

Dramatic pictures show the gutted remains of cars in the street. Crowds can be seen in the background watching as a vehicle goes up in flames.

A video has emerged appearing to show a masked men fire a gun, followed by the sound of a woman screaming for help.

Video of a Republican Gunman firing shots in Londonderry tonight.
In a time when Loyalism is seeking to change our community for the betterment of everyone, Republicans are dragging theirs into the gutter. pic.twitter.com/8ZppQUxqwM

— South L'Derry/Randalstown ACT (@SLRACT) April 18, 2019

Michelle O’Neill, deputy leader of the political party Sinn Fein, said she was “shocked and saddened at the tragic news”.

“I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman.”

Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann said news of the death was “devastating”.

“A precious life lost, we can’t go back to this nor can we allow others to drag us back,” she said.

A suspected car bomb exploded in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry in January, which police said was terror-related. Picture: AFP

The remains of the car that was hijacked and packed with explosives before being detonated outside Derry court in January. Picture: Getty Images

Democratic Union Party leader Arlene Foster has described the incident as “heartbreaking”.

“A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s and 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.”

The violence came just a day after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid a visit to the area.

US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi walks along the Peace Bridge in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Picture: AFP

Tensions have flared as Republicans prepare to mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising — the 1916 rebellion against British rule in Ireland.

The killing comes after a car bomb detonated outside a courthouse in Londonderry in January.

No one was injured in the huge blast.

On Easter Monday last year, rioting broke out in Londonderry, with youths throwing petrol bombs and bricks at police vehicles.

A car burns after petrol bombs were thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. Picture: AP

Police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. Picture: AP

Others show armed cops stood by the remains of burnt-out cars after the violence.

Tensions have flared as Republicans prepare to mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising, the 1916 rebellion against British rule in Ireland.

Absolutely horrified by what is coming out of #Creggan tonight. Totally sick of these dissident scum, trying to drag us back for their own sick ends.

A young woman has been senselessly murdered tonight - please explain how Irish Unity is any closer because of it?? #Derry

— Andrew McFadden (@AindriuMac) April 19, 2019

What you can see from this video is the moment a shot is discharged from a firearm in the Creggan, and what follows is the screams of a young woman begging for help. Absolute Disaster. Can't defend this at all pic.twitter.com/MnZ46EUXv2

— OranMcClintock (@xOranBerry) April 18, 2019

In 2019 I never thought I'd be yards away from a petrol bomb going through my taxis window, scenes in Creggan are absolutely shocking tonight, we are going backwards :(

— eleanor (@EleanorRafferty) April 18, 2019

This story originally appeared on The Sun and is reproduced here with permission