Mass Shooting At Black Church In South Carolina

[Dominus Atheos]

Breaking:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/17/us/charle ... index.html

The suspect in the shooting is a clean-shaven white man in his 20s, with a slender build, police say

No word on victims.

[Gandalf]

According to CNN, "a source close to the investigation" has claimed multiple fatalities.

[Gandalf]

Several people were killed in a shooting at an historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina, a source close to the investigation told CNN.

The shooter is still at large.

The shooting took place Wednesday evening at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest AME church in the South.

Police haven't said how many people have been shot. But the source who spoke to CNN said several bodies were in the church that were yet to be identified.

"It's really bad. It's a very bad scene," local pastor Thomas Dixon said.

"Apparently the person just entered the church and opened fire. That part has not been fully articulated on what happened yet ... they are still looking for the suspect."

Search on for suspect
Police said the suspect in the shooting is a clean-shaven white man in his 20s, with a slender build. He was wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and boots.

Soon afterward, news cameras showed officers taking a man matching that description into custody, but police said they were still looking for the shooter.

The department asked anyone with information to call 911 dispatchers

Historic significance

Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in 1816 when African-American members of Charleston's Methodist Episcopal Church formed their own congregation after a dispute over burial grounds.

Six years later, one of the church founders was implicated in a slave revolt plot. He wasn't convicted.

During the case, the church was burned to the ground. It was rebuilt in 1834.

Heavy police presence

Every Wednesday evening, the church holds a Bible study in its basement.

Corey Wessenger, who was standing across the street from the church, said the area was swarming with law enforcement.

"I just saw a group of about 40 people escorted by cops," Wessenger told CNN by phone.

Community members gathered in a prayer circle just down the street from the scene.

Patrick Wright, a reporter with WFMY News, tweeted, "We've been told not to leave our restaurant here in #Charleston for the time being. Helicopter still circling above."

[The Romulan Republic]

Just horrific.

I hope they catch the person who did this quickly. And my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and those close to them.

The motive, of course, is an interesting question. As in, is this a random nut or a terrorist attack?

[KroLazuxy_87]

My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the community.

My gut, however, is already cringing at the inevitable political and racial maelstrom that's sure to follow.

[KroLazuxy_87]

The associated press is reporting that the police have confirmed nine (9) people have been killed.

[Patroklos]

Just horrific.

I hope they catch the person who did this quickly. And my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and those close to them.

The motive, of course, is an interesting question. As in, is this a random nut or a terrorist attack?

It appears to me to be targeted. It took place at 9pm and was directed at a specific small group (I heard bible study on several reports). If eyeballs on screen or just a high body count were the goal he would have picked a different time and church event. There must have been someone or multiple someone's he knew would be there.

[The Romulan Republic]

Police are saying its a hate crime.

I wish this was a big surprise.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/wor ... le25012799

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 was still at large.

The shooting took place at the Emanuel AME Church, Police Chief Greg Mullen said. He said there were survivors, but would not say how many, or how many were inside at the time of the shooting. He also would not confirm whether the pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was one of the victims.

Mullen described the suspect as a white male in his early 20s. He said he believed it was a hate crime, but would not elaborate.

“The only reason that someone could walk into a church and shoot people praying is out of hate,” said Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley. “It is the most dastardly act that one could possibly imagine, and we will bring that person to justice. ... This is one hateful person.”

As police and the city’s mayor updated the news media, a group of pastors huddled together praying in a circle across the street.

Police moved members of the news media back away from the site due to what they called an “imminent” threat. They did not release any details.

The campaign of GOP presidential hopeful Jeb Bush sent out an email saying that due to the shooting, the candidate had cancelled an event planned in the city Thursday.

The Emmanuel AME church is a historic African-American church that traces its roots to 1816, when several churches split from Charleston’s Methodist Episcopal church.

One of its founders, Denmark Vesey, tried to organize a slave revolt in 1822. He was caught, and white landowners had his church burned in revenge. Parishioners worshipped underground until after the Civil War.

The shooting happened the day before the eighth anniversary of a fire at a furniture store that killed nine Charleston firefighters.

[Grumman]

Police are saying its a hate crime.

Police are assuming it's a hate crime. They're probably right, but at this stage they seem to have no more information one way or the other than we do.

[Broomstick]

Well, maybe the perp wrote hateful messages on the walls after he killed people, or maybe he was yelling something hateful the witnesses reported to police, or...

Yeah, maybe speculation.

On the other hand, opening fire on a Bible study group is not generally the act of a person full of kindness and love.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, a hate crime is a logical guess considering its a mass shooting at a black church by a white man in South Carolina.

[Joun_Lord]

On the other hand, opening fire on a Bible study group is not generally the act of a person full of kindness and love.

I get what you are meaning but I should still point out that opening fire on any group or really anyone tends not to be an act of kindness and love

Its too early to call this a hate crime (hate crime as in the federal definition of a hate crime, again all crime tends to be pretty hateful). Just because it was a white guy (or latino who is now white or maybe a reverse Rachel Dolezal) shooting some black people it doesn't automatically mean the reason they are being shot is because of their race.

Now it most likely is just looking at the available evidence, white on black crime, historical black church with a history of racial fuckery, in a state with history of racial violence and a probably public black figure killed, but it could be something else. Could be one of them there irate murderous Christian killing atheists that conservatives go on about but must be invisible because I've never seen one. Could be whitey had some beef with one of the people he murdered about more personal matter rather then skin color and either had stormtrooper aiming skills or decided if he's killing one person might as well not stop like the massive asshole we can probably guess he is.

But unfortunately it is probably some racist fucker killing people because of some sick and twisted ideology, killing people because of their skin color.

I can hope its not, which is really fucked up in a way that I'm hoping a mass killing is just a "normal" mass killing rather then more racial shit, but more then likely it is.

Also this when I first read about it barely awake because I've been working and sleeping weird, I thought this shit was happening nearby. I live in Charleston just not the Charleston this article is about.

[dragon]

As much as it pains me to say at least it's only a hate crime and not a Muslim as there is too much animosity between US and them and there is no reason to give Muslim hate monger more ammo. Granted this shooter deserves what ever he gets coming to him.

[The Romulan Republic]

I hope he's taken alive. I want him to have a fair trial and spend the rest of his life locked up. I want him to be dealt with in the manner of a civilized nation, in contrast to the diseased barbarity of his crimes.

[dragon]

According to CNN the person is early 20's, 5'9 driving a vehicle with a distinctive license plate. So unless they stole the car they have a good chance of identifying the suspect.

The suspect is in his early 20s, 5'9" in height. "He has on a very distinctive sweatshirt as well as the vehicle, with a very distinctive license plate," the police chief said.

link

[The Romulan Republic]

I don't know if its already been said, but one of the dead is a pastor who is also a state Senator.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/9-people-k ... -1.3118131

A white man opened fire during a prayer meeting inside a historic black church in downtown Charleston on Wednesday night, killing nine people, including the pastor, 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 African Methodist Episcopal Church was a hate crime, and police were looking for a white male approximately 21 to 25 years old. 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.

The FBI will aid the investigation, Mullen told a news conference that was attended by FBI Special Agent in Charge David A. Thomas.

At a briefing at 6 a.m. ET Thursday, police released images of the shooting suspect along with photos of a black sedan he left the church in. Mullen said the suspect was "extremely dangerous." Police say they have surveillance video of the possible suspect.

Charleston Shooting
Charleston Police Department released this image Thursday of a shooting suspected being sought after man opened fire inside a historic black church in Charleston, S.C., Wednesday night. The shooting left nine people dead, including the pastor in an assault that authorities are calling a hate crime. (Charleston Police Department/Associated Press)

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."

State House Minority leader Todd Rutherford told The Associated Press that the church's pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, was among those killed.

Pinckney 41, was a married father of two who was elected to the state house at age 23, making him the youngest member of the House at the time.

reverend-clementa-pickney
Rev. Clementa Pickney was among the nine people killed Wednesday night in a shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C. (Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church)

"He never had anything bad to say about anybody, even when I thought he should," Rutherford said. "He was always out doing work either for his parishioners or his constituents. He touched everybody."

The attack came two months after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man, Walter Scott, by a white police officer in neighbouring North Charleston that sparked major protests and highlighted racial tensions in the area. The officer has been charged with murder, and the shooting prompted South Carolina lawmakers to push through a bill helping all police agencies in the state get body cameras. 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 religious institutions.

"We'll never understand what motivates anyone to enter one of our places of worship and take the life of another," Haley said.

Charleston Shooting
Worshippers embrace following a group prayer across the street from the scene of a shooting on Wednesday in Charleston, S.C. (David Goldman/The Associated Press)

Soon after Wednesday night's shooting, a group of pastors huddled together praying in a circle across the street.

Community organizer Christopher Cason said he felt certain the shootings were racially motivated.

"I am very tired of people telling me that I don't have the right to be angry," Cason said. "I am very angry right now."

Even before Scott's shooting in April, Cason said he had been part of a group meeting with police and local leaders to try to shore up relations.

The Emmanuel AME church is a historic black church that traces its roots to 1816, when several churches split from Charleston's Methodist Episcopal church.

One of its founders, Denmark Vesey, tried to organize a slave revolt in 1822. He was caught, and white landowners had his church burned in revenge. Parishioners worshipped underground until after the Civil War.

I wonder if he specifically was a target

[Gandalf]

A local crime reporter (@offlede) has tweeted the following; "Local NAACP official: Gunman told survivor he'd let her live so she could tell everyone else what happened."

[Elheru Aran]

They have arrested a suspect who is a fairly good match:

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/suspect ... -carolina/

[Alyrium Denryle]

They have arrested a suspect who is a fairly good match:

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/suspect ... -carolina/

Another image of the suspect. With Boer and Rhodesian flags on his jacket.

I hereby rule this a hate crime committed by a white supremacist.

[madd0ct0r]

hate crime or terrorisim?

[Elheru Aran]

hate crime or terrorisim?

It can't be both? A hate crime that is also an act of terrorism? Unless you're going with the 'politically motivated' definition of terrorism...

[The Romulan Republic]

I would say that "white supremacist" is a political ideology/motivation.

I'd say that if its ideologically motivated violence with the intent being, at least partly, to cause fear, then its terrorism. End of story. This is pretty close to a dictionary's definition of terrorism as I recall.

[Broomstick]

The TV news showed him being loaded on an airplane to be taken back to South Carolina.

Pro-tip: if they make you do a perp-walk in striped pajamas and a bullet proof vest you have Officially Fucked Up.

[Zaune]

Unless of course you're doing it for the notoriety because you're an edgy adolescent drama-whore fuckwit. Then you can probably consider it mission accomplished.

[cmdrjones]

http://watchmansecurityconsulting.com/t ... shootings/

For context