The white man who killed nine people at a historic black church in downtown Charleston on Wednesday had sat with the victims for an hour at a Bible study before opening fire, the Charleston city police chief said at a press conference on Thursday.
Six of the victims were female and three were male, police chief Greg Mullen said. The names of the victims have yet to be released by the coroner’s office.
State House Minority leader Todd Rutherford told The Associated Press on Thursday that that the church’s pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney was killed in the attack.
There were three survivors of the attack left inside the church.
“This is a situation that is unacceptable in any society, and especially in our society, in our city,” Mullen said.
He said that Charleston police were coordinating with the FBI and other law enforcement in the region and urged the media and public to call in with any information about the suspect.
Stills of the suspect, a young adult with a bowl haircut and a skinny frame, and his car were released by police on Thursday.
“We will catch this individual,” Mullen told reporters. He stressed that citizens should not approach the suspect or his vehicle but notify law enforcement.
“This is a very dangerous individual and we do not want more people harmed trying to approach him,” he said.
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley praised the efforts of law enforcement and promised to bring the suspect, whom he called a “horrible scoundrel,” to justice.
“This was an unfathomable and unspeakable act by somebody filled with hate and a deranged mind,” Riley said.
“We will of course make sure that he pays the price for this horrible act,” he added.
This is what the NRA has wrought. Once the U.S. truly resembles Mogadishu they’ll maximize the gun sale revenues for their benefactors in the arms industry. Mark my word, soon 18 year old high school seniors will be packing heat across the nation. Legally. Jesus must be so happy, he and his Daddy crafted this nation (allegedly) and now you can’t worship Him safely in his house without a Glock on your hip.
Who needs ISIS what with our home grown crazy white males armed to the teeth and full of hatred.
My heart goes out to the folks of that community and especially the families and loved ones of those who were shot. My mind has such a difficult time trying to feel what you’re going through right now – but please know you are on the minds and in the prayers of so many of us who are following this story. Peace be with you.
If it hasn’t happened already I’m sure Fox News will assemble an “All Star” panel to hash this out and collectively pronounce this is all Obama’s fault.
There are so many ways this event is horrible.
When the dust settles, one of the things which will be apparent is that racists are young, as well. Young people are exposed to racism, as well. Young people are exposed to this, often with less on their emotional toolkit to place racist rantings into perspective.
The absolute smugness of people who would push against the ReTHUGGS, the NRA, the TEaHadists, the Reichwing, Rush, Talk Radio and all the rest has rested, in so many ways, on this mantra, which, I am sure, makes its way daily in Starbucks coffee shops all over the country:
"Minorities are a greater part of the population. We see that every day. The Right’s days are numbered. Our side will prevail. The numbers say so. We are in a "New Millennium’ "
The other thing that policy makers in the United States are going to have to deal with in this Century is that the phlegmatic, torpid mind of so much of the electorate fires up more to hate than the kinds of compassionate but forceful action that true representative government needs.