Charleston Shooting

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Crowds gather at the memorial service for the Charleston Shooting victims.

Catherine Healy, Business Manager

On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof, 21, drove two hours from his home to a church in Charleston, South Carolina. A small group was in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church having a bible study session. The church thought of Wednesday as a time of reflection and to relax with family and friends. Roof walked in and asked for the Pastor. Strangers walking in to the church were welcome and not uncommon due to the fact that it is the oldest African church in the South. Roof was directed to Rev. Clementa Pinckney, a devoted and incredibly faithful man. Pinckney sat, prayed and spoke with Roof about Scripture for about an hour. No one in the church could have know of Roof’s white supremacy mindset, the hidden handgun behind his fanny pack or his initial intent to start a “racial war”.  Roof proceeded to murder nine of the church-goers, shooting Rev. Pinckney first. On Friday, June 19, Roof appeared before a judge via a video feed and was charged with nine counts of murder. Read more about the victims and the specifics of this act of terrorism on CNN.