9 fatally shot at historic black church in Charleston, SC "LATEST VIDEO" (2599 hits)
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A white man opened fire during a prayer meeting inside a historic black church in downtown Charleston on Wednesday night, killing nine people in an assault that authorities described as a hate crime. The shooter remained at large Thursday morning.
Police Chief Greg Mullen said he believed the attack at the Emanuel AME Church was a hate crime, and police were looking for a white male in his early 20s. Mullen said the scene was chaotic when police arrived, and the officers thought they had the suspect tracked with a police dog, but he got away.
"We will put all effort, we will put all resources and we will put all of our energy into finding this individual who committed this crime tonight," he said.
Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley called the shooting "the most unspeakable and heartbreaking tragedy."
"The only reason that someone could walk into a church and shoot people praying is out of hate," Riley said. "It is the most dastardly act that one could possibly imagine, and we will bring that person to justice. ... This is one hateful person."
The attack came two months after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man, Walter Scott, by a white police officer in neighboring North Charleston that sparked major protests and highlighted racial tensions in the area. The officer has been charged with murder, and prompted South Carolina lawmakers to push through a bill helping all police agencies in the state get body cameras.
The church's current pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was a sponsor of that bill.
In a statement, Gov. Nikki Haley asked South Carolinians to pray for the victims and their families and decried violence at places of worship.
"While we do not yet know all of the details, we do know that we'll never understand what motivates anyone to enter one of our places of worship and take the life of another," Haley said.
Soon after Wednesday night's shooting, a group of pastors huddled together praying in a circle across the street.
God, be with us in this hour. We are attacked by enemies without cause or provocations. Heal our state of grief and mind for Your Namesake, as we are Your devout servants. Let not evils make our peaceful ways of life into battlefronts, and our joyous times into mourning. We beseech Thine Saving hand to guide ours, for patience and forbearance. We endure in Your Name.
Thursday, June 18th 2015 at 4:47AM
Clint X
That's his natural hair.
Thursday, June 18th 2015 at 10:58AM
Steve Williams
Suspect has been caught.
Thursday, June 18th 2015 at 11:21AM
Steve Williams
Press conference is scheduled for 11:30.
Thursday, June 18th 2015 at 11:26AM
Steve Williams
I'm still trying to fathom how can someone kill 9 innocent people inside a church?
Situation like these remind us that it is a sick world, take nothing for granted and hug your children everytime like it may be your last chance, because today proves you never know.
Brother Deacon, they were calling him a terrorist on MSNBC The Last Word.
Thursday, June 18th 2015 at 11:29PM
Steve Williams
I think it was during the last 15 minutes of the show they were discussing it.
Thursday, June 18th 2015 at 11:34PM
Steve Williams
Not on FOX, ABC, NBC, or the local channels, not here. Now just this morning the media is trying the spin this domestic terrorist monster THUG as mentally ill. Now how can you pull the trigger on a 87 year old senior citizen?
Dylann Roof is charged with nine counts of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, Charleston police tweeted.
Roof is scheduled to appear in a South Carolina court at 2 p.m. for a bond hearing tied to this week's church shooting, a Charleston County official said.
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..." I have been looking at the NEWS and I have not heard this killer, called the domestic terroris or a thug yet!"... ..."Brother Deacon, they were calling him a terrorist on MSNBC The Last Word."...
According to one newspaper I was reading... "U.S. Attorney's Office for South Carolina, the Federal U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and FBI have opened hate crime investigations. ... When it comes to how people define these crimes, Charles Kurzman, the co-director of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, said in an interview, they are often influenced by "ideological lenses. Whether hate crimes count as terrorism or not depends on one's definition of terrorism," .... It's simpler to charge someone with premeditated first-degree murder and forget about the ideological motivations, he said. ...
If I might interject and by far being no expert but only having watched some law shows... to me I'm getting understand a little more about the criminal codes... do from a law prospective, its easier to indict and get a guilty verdict on something easier to prove... and having said that... certainly 9 counts of murder as CNN is reporting... (plus the phone video that he had ample time to change his mind while he was sitting among those sweet church people; leaving behind 2 witnesses for the sole purposes of telling what his intent was s... to kill Black people.
That's diabolical!
I'd have to look up what the criminal code says about hate crimes and domestic terrorism... but certainly if this fellow were of Middle Eastern decent or a follower of Islam or even a follower of the Nation of Islam... he'd be branded a terrorist. So I do get it! I don't even think that the American Taliban, John Walker Lind was being branded as a Terrorist for which the PR campaign of American Taliban was used to soften what he actually was.
Anyway... if you happen to look up the hate crimes and domestic terrorism, let me know. I'd be interested.
Friday, June 19th 2015 at 11:36AM
Jeni Fa
Sister Fa,
That's diabolical! I have not heard that word in quite sometime. Calculable is my word to disguise this kind of hate in a state that flies confederate flag over The State Capital.
I am away from my computer but I will be checking in from time to time.
The good thing that I see coming out of all of this, the power of LOVE is over coming this senseless act.
I can't believe it! The media is reporting differently... respectfully... I really can't understand it... usually they scare the heck out of everyone! Perhaps the media has been cautioned against sensationalizing for fear of causing another movement like Ferguson. It appears they are being very careful. Plus, I read that Rev. Sharpton planning to join in the solidarity as he should. A resident (probably White) said that he feared that with Rev Sharpton coming to Charleston that it could mean trouble.
A daughter of Charleston church shooting victim Ethel Lance addressed Dylann Roof in court, "I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you."
Facing nine counts of murder and a weapons charge, Roof showed no emotion as he appeared by video for a hearing before Magistrate James Gosnell Jr.
"Every fiber in my body hurts, and I will never be the same," said Felicia Sanders, the mother of victim Tywanza Sanders. "May God have mercy on you."
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I watched that complete bond hearing when the families of the victims spoke and to see that they forgave that man proves to me that God is in the mist to show the world that faith and love over rules ignorance and hate.
He should have committed suicide, that would have been best.
Friday, June 19th 2015 at 9:12PM
Steve Williams
The message he gave, by entering the church, was that Christ is not going to stop him from murdering Blacks because they are raping their women and trying to take over their country. Where is he been getting his rape and takeover information from?????????
Saturday, June 20th 2015 at 12:38AM
Helen Lofton
Taking over the country sounds like a reference to Obama.
Saturday, June 20th 2015 at 7:46AM
Steve Williams
Which would make it political terrorism.
Saturday, June 20th 2015 at 7:49AM
Steve Williams
@ Steve,
..."Taking over the country sounds like a reference to Obama."...
I agree and if I may, I'll go a step further... the bold murders and assaults of my ppl as we have seen on television is a backlash of having a Black President. I've witnessed it as a health professional while asking some elderly patients,
"Can you tell me who the president is?"
These elderly patients start to swear. OMG!
When I went to the police department to get my fingers printed for a background check... The Trooper apparently didn't take it lightly that I was an engaging, self confident, and articulate speaking young woman. How did I come to this conclusion? I saw it in his body language.
