Lyra McKee: Man charged in Northern Ireland with murder of journalist

'While today is significant for the investigation the quest for the evidence to bring the gunman to justice remains active and ongoing', detective superintendent says.

A 52-year-old man has been charged with the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.

Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed the man, a resident of Derry, had also been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and professing to be a member of a proscribed organisation.

He is due to appear in the city's magistrate court on Thursday.

Mckee, who was born in Belfast, was shot dead in April last year as she observed a riot in Derry.

During her life the 29-year-old had extensively covered sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, and had been published in a number of publications including The Independent.

The New IRA, a formation of a number of dissident republican paramilitary groups established in 2012, claimed responsibility for the death.

Police are continuing to look for suspects linked to the incident, with the case's lead officer Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy confirming a number of people were believed to have been behind the shooting.

"I have always said a number of individuals were involved with the gunman on the night Lyra was killed, and while today is significant for the investigation the quest for the evidence to bring the gunman to justice remains active and ongoing", he said.

It comes a day after the police service announced four people had been arrested in connection with the journalist's death.

A 29-year-old man has since been released without charge, while two men, aged 27 and 20, have been released pending a report to Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service.