Police search across charleston
The
New York Times reports that the Charleston police chief, Greg Mullen,
at a news conference with the Mayor early Thursday, called the shooting a
hate crime.
“It
is unfathomable that somebody in today’s society would walk into a
church while they are having a prayer meeting and take their lives,” he
said.
According
to police reports, the gunman in question walked into the historic
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church around 9 p.m. and began
shooting.
Eight people were said to have died at the scene.
Man mourns at the site of the killings
Man weeps in prayer at Charleston
Chief Mullen said that two people were taken to the Medical University of South Carolina, and one of them died on the way.
“Obviously, this is the worst night of my career,” Chief Mullen said. “This is clearly a tragedy in the city of Charleston.”
City officials held back information about the victims and did not say how many people were in the church during the shooting.
Hospital officials declined to comment.
The
Mayor of Charleston, Joseph P. Riley Jr. said that the city was
offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunman.
The police described the trigger happy hoodlum as a clean-shaven white man about 21 years old.
They say he was wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and Timberland boots.
Chief Mullen described him as “extremely dangerous.”
“To walk into a church and shoot someone, is out of pure hatred,” the mayor added while leaving the press conference.
As
at the time of this report, the law enforcement officers from the
F.B.I.; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; and other agencies were
assisting. Chief Mullen said the police were tracking the gunman with
police dogs.
At about 10:45 p.m., police officers were seen escorting a man in handcuffs who appeared to match the attacker’s description.
But officials said later that they were still searching for the gunman.
It
was reported that in the first hours after the shooting, the police
blocked reporters and passers-by from approaching the church, opposite a
Marriott Courtyard hotel, because of a bomb threat.
Many
among the cluster of media workers were political reporters in town to
cover campaign events of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jeb Bush.
Helicopters
were said to have beamed their searchlights to circled overhead, and a
group of pastors knelt and prayed across the street.
People praying at Charleston
Prayers held at Charleston
The church is one of the America’s oldest black churches.
According
to the website of the National Park Service, the congregation was
formed by black members of Charleston’s Methodist Episcopal Church who
broke away “over disputed burial ground.”
The shepherd in charge, Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, is a state senator.
Earlier
on, it wasn’t clear if he was present at the time of the shooting, but
that has been disregarded as it indeed confirmed that the senator was
part of those shot dead.Chicago Tribune reports that the State House Minority leader Todd Rutherford told The Associated Press that the church’s pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was among those killed.
Sen. Clementa Pinckney
Rutherford said:“He never had anything bad to say about anybody, even when I thought he should,”
“He was always out doing work either for his parishioners or his constituents. He touched everybody.” he added.
In a more recent development, the FBI has identified the suspect who opened fire into the historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday night, killing nine people.
He has been identified as 21-year-old Dylann Storm Roof. And as of the time of this report the police say that he has been caught and is now in custody.
Press briefings are to follow immediately.
Culprit Dylan Storm Roof
Shooter Dylan Storm Roof
Speaking to NBC News was Sylvia Johnson a cousin of church shooting victim Pastor Clementa Pinckney.
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She said she had spoken with one of the survivors, who told her that the shooter reloaded five times.
“And he just said ‘I have to do it. You rape our women and you’re taking over our country. And you have to go'”. She added.
The shooter reportedly joined a bible study at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church before opening fire on church-goers. The campaign staff of Mr. Bush, the former governor of Florida who is seeking the Republican nomination for president, said late Wednesday, that he was canceling appearances planned for Thursday in Charleston because of the shooting.
Report has it that Mrs. Clinton was in Charleston on Wednesday, but an aide said she had left the city before the shooting.