It was announced early this morning that four men have been arrested in connection with the murder of queer journalist, Lyra McKee.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) released a statement which says that the four men, aged 19, 20, 21 and 33, have been arrested under the Terrorism Act.

The arrest was made in Derry early this morning, September 15, and the individuals have been taken to the Serious Crime Suite at Musgrave Police Station, where they await interviews.

In the statement, detective superintendent Jason Murphy said, “These arrests are the culmination of a detailed two-year investigation into Lyra’s murder and the events which preceded it.”

Lyra McKee, who had been named as one of Forbes magazine’s “30 under 30 in media”, was well-known for her passionate journalistic work and her tragic death broke the hearts of LGBTQ+ communities and activists nationwide.

Murphy’s statement continues: “The local community have supported the Police Service of Northern Ireland throughout the course of this protracted investigation and I wish to thank them for their continued support and patience whilst this phase of the investigation is ongoing.”

Detectives investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee on 18 April 2019 in Derry/Londonderry have arrested 4 men. pic.twitter.com/KiMUf4PQPX

— Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) September 15, 2021

The 29-year-old investigative journalist was killed by a gunshot to the head on April 18, 2019, while reporting on riots that had erupted in Derry city’s Creggan estate.

Lyra, who was deemed a rising literary star by the Irish Times, had only recently moved to Derry city to be with her partner, Sara Canning, after growing up in Belfast.

She had written a bittersweet message on her now-private Twitter feed, “Here’s to better times ahead and saying goodbye to bombs and bullets once and for all.”

In the days after her death, a dissident republican group, The New IRA, claimed responsibility for her murder. Several arrests have been made in connection with the case, but the investigation is ongoing.

Earlier this year the Justice 4Lyra campaign was launched by loved ones of the late journalist, encouraging anyone with information to come forward to help lead to a conviction.