Late last night a white man walked into the traditionally black Emanuel AME Church (though not an exclusively black church) in Charleston, South Carolina, sat for an hour during a Bible study class, then pulled out a handgun and opened fire killing nine churchgoers. The FBI has officially identified the shooter as 21-year-old Dylann Storm Roof of Columbia, SC.
Police released a mugshot of Roof indicating that he has some sort of arrest record, though the extent of that record has yet to be made public.
.@FBI confirms that Dylann Roof, 21, of #Columbia area is suspect in #CharlestonShooting. #chsnews pic.twitter.com/FFYhF1CwYz
— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) June 18, 2015
There are unconfirmed reports that Roof made racial comments before he opened fire. One source says he said, “I have to do it. You rape our women and you’re taking over our country. And you have to go.”
It is also reported that he reloaded at least five times during the assault.
Eight victims died at the site and one expired later at a local hospital.
Police say he’s armed and dangerous and may be driving a black Hyundai Elantra with South Carolina tags LGF330.
A Facebook photo of Roof from this year shows him wearing a jacket with patches representing the flags of Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe) and South Africa, both are African nations that imposed Apartheid laws on its population in the 1980s and 1990s.
Police know that he has at least one .45 caliber handgun (which was a gift from his father).
Dylann Roof was captured only moments ago in Shelby, North Carolina and is now in police custody.