"Act of Hate" 9 Dead At South Carolina Church

9 people including church pastor, State Sen. Clementa Pinckney, fatally shot at historic black church in Charleston
AOL News
June 18, 2015

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- 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 AME Church was a hate crime, and police were looking for a white male in his early 20s. 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.

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.
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