Hate Crime: Charleston Church Shooting

[Credit: Christalrock]

By Sydney B.

Killed because they were black…

Tragedy struck in Charleston, South Carolina, Wednesday night, as a gunman opened fire in a local church.

Dylan Roof, 21, was identified by the FBI as the Charleston shooting suspect.

Roof allegedly opened fire during a prayer meeting at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest church in the south, shooting 12 people in total. As a result nine of the victims were killed, while the remaining surviving three live on to the tell this horrific story. Prior to the incident, investigators say Roof spent about an hour in the prayer meeting that the historic African-American church with the eventual victims before he began shooting.

“[The victims] were killed because they were black,” Charleston police spokesman Charles Francis tells CNN.

[Credit: The Conservative Tree House]

A woman who survived the shooting says that they gunman let her live so she could tell people what happened. Strange? Very much so. Soon after the attack Roof fled the scene to escape from police, but unfortunately for him he was taking into to custody Thursday morning.

“Her life was spared, and [she was] told, I’m not going to kill you, I’m going to spare you, so you can tell them what happened,” says Charleston NAACP President Dot Scott.

Dylan Roof is a South Carolina resident who has been arrested twice in the state as an adult.

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is investigating this massacre at the Emmanuel AME Church as a hate crime. “The only reason someone would walk into a church and shoot people that were praying is hate,” say Charleston Mayor Joe Riley.

As this story continues to unfold we’ll keep you update with the latest! In the meantime, please send your hearts out to the Charleston community.