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Charleston church shooting: 'deranged' suspect will 'pay the price', mayor says Charleston church shooting: manhunt under way for 'deranged' suspect
(34 minutes later)
The mayor of Charleston has condemned the “deranged” and “hate filled” gunman responsible for the murder of nine people at a historic black church in the South Carolina town, as police released an image of the suspect and appealed for further information. Related: Charleston church shooting: police release image of suspect - latest updates
Officials in Charleston condemned the “deranged” and “hate filled” gunman responsible for the murder of nine people at a historic black church in this South Carolina city, as police released an image of the suspect amid a manhunt and a federal hate-crime investigation.
The suspect, who is still on the loose, has been described as a clean-shaven, white male aged approximately 21, with a small, slender build, wearing a gray sweatshirt with jeans and boots.The suspect, who is still on the loose, has been described as a clean-shaven, white male aged approximately 21, with a small, slender build, wearing a gray sweatshirt with jeans and boots.
Anyone with information about this incident call 1-800-CALL-FBI. pic.twitter.com/EidJGhNEDpAnyone with information about this incident call 1-800-CALL-FBI. pic.twitter.com/EidJGhNEDp
Joseph P Riley Jr thanked law enforcement agencies for the immediacy and quality of their work and called for the community to come together for love and support. “This is an unfathomable and unspeakable act by somebody filled with hate and with a deranged mind. This person is dangerous, we need every tip we can get to bring this person into custody as soon as possible and of course will make sure that he pays the price for this horrible act,” he said. The US justice department’s civil rights division, along with the FBI and the US attorney’s office, were launching a formal inquiry into a potential hate crime in this southern metropolis, which again found itself at the epicentre of international attention over race and gun violence just months after a fatal police shooting.
At a press conference as the sun rose on Charleston, mayor Joseph P Riley Jr thanked law enforcement agencies for the immediacy and quality of their work and called for the community to come together for love and support.
“This is an unfathomable and unspeakable act by somebody filled with hate and with a deranged mind. This person is dangerous, we need every tip we can get to bring this person into custody as soon as possible and of course will make sure that he pays the price for this horrible act,” he said.
Charleston police chief Gregory Mullen confirmed that the suspect was inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church where the attack took place and attended a prayer meeting with the victims for up to an hour before carrying out the shooting.Charleston police chief Gregory Mullen confirmed that the suspect was inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church where the attack took place and attended a prayer meeting with the victims for up to an hour before carrying out the shooting.
Mullen also said that there were three survivors of the attack, but refused to discuss reports that the gunman had allowed one woman to escape. “We want to make sure during our interview process we get real information from the suspect and not through something that has been posted online or through a story.”Mullen also said that there were three survivors of the attack, but refused to discuss reports that the gunman had allowed one woman to escape. “We want to make sure during our interview process we get real information from the suspect and not through something that has been posted online or through a story.”
Riley said the community in Charleston was one that “honours our religious institutions and respects the different cultures and beliefs”. He referred to the town as “the holy city”, one where “all the church spires reach out into the sky, including Emanuel AME church where this horrific crime occurred”.Riley said the community in Charleston was one that “honours our religious institutions and respects the different cultures and beliefs”. He referred to the town as “the holy city”, one where “all the church spires reach out into the sky, including Emanuel AME church where this horrific crime occurred”.
He said he had spent the night hugging as many victims’ families as he could. “This horrible, hateful person going to a church and killing people there to pray and worship with each other is something that is beyond incomprehensible and is not explained,” he said.He said he had spent the night hugging as many victims’ families as he could. “This horrible, hateful person going to a church and killing people there to pray and worship with each other is something that is beyond incomprehensible and is not explained,” he said.
“You will see an outpouring of love, assistance and kindness from the community. We met the families last night and hugged as many as we could. There were some hundreds. Their mothers and fathers and grandfathers were killed in that church. We extended our love ... We will work to heal them, love them, support them and that church as long as we live.”“You will see an outpouring of love, assistance and kindness from the community. We met the families last night and hugged as many as we could. There were some hundreds. Their mothers and fathers and grandfathers were killed in that church. We extended our love ... We will work to heal them, love them, support them and that church as long as we live.”
He added that the Emanuel AME church and other African American churches had been important to the social fabric of Charleston society for hundreds of years. “We can catch this no good, horrible person and see that he pays the price, and then we’ll put our arms around that church and that church family,” he said.He added that the Emanuel AME church and other African American churches had been important to the social fabric of Charleston society for hundreds of years. “We can catch this no good, horrible person and see that he pays the price, and then we’ll put our arms around that church and that church family,” he said.
Mullen added: “From the time this call came in we had resources coming in from all over the east coast. We have more coming in this morning. We are not leaving any stone unturned. This tragedy is indescribable. No one in this community will ever forget this night, and as a result of that and because of the pain and the hurt that this individual has caused this entire community, the law enforcement agencies working on this are committed and we will catch this individual.” Related: Charleston church shooting: Without gun control, racism will keep killing black people | Gary Younge
Mullen added: “We are not leaving any stone unturned. This tragedy is indescribable. No one in this community will ever forget this night, and as a result of that and because of the pain and the hurt that this individual has caused this entire community, the law enforcement agencies working on this are committed and we will catch this individual.”
Gunfire erupted on Wednesday inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, whose pastor Clementa Pinckney, a Democrat in the South Carolina senate, was named as one of the dead.Gunfire erupted on Wednesday inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, whose pastor Clementa Pinckney, a Democrat in the South Carolina senate, was named as one of the dead.
On 26 April, during an event hosted by Emanuel AME, Pinckney introduced several speakers including US Congressman Jim Clyburn. During an opening prayer, he asked for guidance to root out violence, bigtory and racism.On 26 April, during an event hosted by Emanuel AME, Pinckney introduced several speakers including US Congressman Jim Clyburn. During an opening prayer, he asked for guidance to root out violence, bigtory and racism.
“We know that only love can conquer hate, that only love can bring all together in our name,” Pinckney said at the time. “Irregardless of our faiths, our ethnicities, where we are from, together we come in love. Together we come to bury racism, to bury bigotry and to resurrect and revive love, compassion and tenderness. ” “We know that only love can conquer hate, that only love can bring all together in our name,” Pinckney said at the time. “Irregardless of our faiths, our ethnicities, where we are from, together we come in love. Together we come to bury racism, to bury bigotry and to resurrect and revive love, compassion and tenderness.”
Thomas Dixon, a pastor who has been working with a local chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement, told the Guardian in Charleston that he had met Pinckney in the wake of the Walter Scott shooting and thought highly of his work as both a political and a religious leader. Pinckney helped lead a prayer vigil in April for Walter Scott, the unarmed black South Carolina man who was shot dead by a North Charleston police officer. He campaigned for police to be equipped with body cameras, which he said “may not be the golden ticket, the golden egg, the end-all-fix-all, but [would help] to paint a picture of what happens during a police stop”.
Mandatory body cameras became law in the state one week ago.
Thomas Dixon, a pastor who has been working with a local chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement, told the Guardian in Charleston that he had met Pinckney in the wake of Scott’s death.
Dixon said that in the wake of the latest shooting, he was “disheartened but not surprised.”Dixon said that in the wake of the latest shooting, he was “disheartened but not surprised.”
“It is a sign of the times,” he said. “Whereas in the past we were able to say there were safe havens for people where they could be treated well and respected, unfortunately in today’s world we have no more safe havens.”“It is a sign of the times,” he said. “Whereas in the past we were able to say there were safe havens for people where they could be treated well and respected, unfortunately in today’s world we have no more safe havens.”
Eight of the victims were killed in the church. Another died on the way to hospital. Eight of the victims were killed in the church. Another died on the way to hospital. Police have not named the victims.
Police have not named the victims but the Democrat party leader in the South Carolina state house confirmed pastor and state senator Pinckney was among the dead. “He was always out doing work either for his parishioners or his constituents. He touched everybody,” minority leader Todd Rutherford told the Associated Press.
Pinckney helped lead a prayer vigil in April for Walter Scott, a black South Carolina man who was shot dead by a North Charleston police officer. He campaigned for police to be equipped with body cameras, which he said “may not be the golden ticket, the golden egg, the end-all-fix-all, but [would help] to paint a picture of what happens during a police stop”. Mandatory body cameras became law in the state one week ago.
The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church traces its roots to 1816 and is one of the largest black congregations south of Baltimore. The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr addressed the church in 1962.The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church traces its roots to 1816 and is one of the largest black congregations south of Baltimore. The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr addressed the church in 1962.
Presidential candidate Jeb Bush has cancelled a planned trip to the state, and the South Carolina legislature has suspended a sitting planned for Thursday.Presidential candidate Jeb Bush has cancelled a planned trip to the state, and the South Carolina legislature has suspended a sitting planned for Thursday.