The killing of journalist Lyra McKee must be a turning point for Northern Ireland, a priest said Wednesday at a funeral service attended by British and Irish leaders alongside mourners in superhero T-shirts and colorful Harry Potter scarves. In his homily, Father Martin Magill said McKee's death should be "the doorway to a new beginning" for Northern Ireland. The group acknowledged responsibility for McKee's death, saying she was shot accidentally "while standing beside enemy forces" — a reference to the police. Security officials have warned that political drift in Northern Ireland and uncertainty around Brexit could embolden those bent on violence. The U.K.'s planned departure from the EU has revived fears of a return to border checks between Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., and EU member Ireland.

Source: ABC News April 24, 2019 09:09 UTC