A heartbroken nation’s tension turned to mourning Thursday afternoon as news broke that the suspected gunman in an attack on a Charleston, South Carolina, church had been arrested, and the identities of his nine victims were released.
Dylann Roof, 21, allegedly entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a weekly Bible study meeting and opened fire around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Eight people were found shot to death at the scene, police said. Two others were transported to a hospital, where one later died.
Roof was captured Thursday morning in Shelby, North Carolina, according to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen said Roof was arrested during a traffic stop.
In a statement at the White House, President Barack Obama mourned the victims and lamented the steady stream of mass shootings he has had to address while in office. "Once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun," he said. "At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence doesn’t happen in other countries."
Six women and three men were killed. The church's pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was among those who died. The other victims are Tywanza Sanders, Cynthia Hurd, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lance, Rev. Daniel Simmons, Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor and Susie Jackson.
“The only reason someone could walk into a church and shoot people praying is out of hate,” said Charleston Mayor Joe Riley at a news conference. “It is the most dastardly act that one could possibly imagine.”
The suspect waived extradition during a court appearance Thursday, The Associated Press reports, and will return to South Carolina, where his charges are pending.
Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.com/
Author: Ed Mazza, Jade Walker & Kelly Chen
Dylann Roof, 21, allegedly entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a weekly Bible study meeting and opened fire around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Eight people were found shot to death at the scene, police said. Two others were transported to a hospital, where one later died.
Roof was captured Thursday morning in Shelby, North Carolina, according to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen said Roof was arrested during a traffic stop.
In a statement at the White House, President Barack Obama mourned the victims and lamented the steady stream of mass shootings he has had to address while in office. "Once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun," he said. "At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence doesn’t happen in other countries."
Six women and three men were killed. The church's pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was among those who died. The other victims are Tywanza Sanders, Cynthia Hurd, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lance, Rev. Daniel Simmons, Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor and Susie Jackson.
“The only reason someone could walk into a church and shoot people praying is out of hate,” said Charleston Mayor Joe Riley at a news conference. “It is the most dastardly act that one could possibly imagine.”
The suspect waived extradition during a court appearance Thursday, The Associated Press reports, and will return to South Carolina, where his charges are pending.
Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.com/
Author: Ed Mazza, Jade Walker & Kelly Chen
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