Police are searching for a gunman who killed nine people and injured several others at a historic African American church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, in what is being called a hate crime by local officials.
As of the morning of June 18, the perpetrator was still at large, local police officials said. “I do believe this is a hate crime,” the police chief, Greg Mullen, said during a late night statement, according to the Washington Post.
However, the police chief did not explain the basis for his conclusion. Clementa Pinckney, a church pastor and Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate, was present at the time of the shooting and is one of the fatal victims, local media has reported. The shooting took place as while the church was packed for a prayer meeting.
"The only reason that someone could walk into a church and shoot people praying is out of hate," said Charleston Mayor Joseph 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.
"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."
The preliminary description of the shooter is of a white male in his early 20s. Police said he was clean-shaven, of small build and wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and hiking boots.
“This is the most unspeakable and heartbreaking tragedy,” said the Charleston mayor. “People in prayer, coming together, praying and worshiping God, to have an awful person come in and shoot them is inexplicable, obviously the most intolerable and unbelievable act possible.”
The Washington Post reported police as saying there were survivors to the attack, but did not offer details as to how many or about their condition. The incident occurred at about 9.00 pm. local time on June 17 at at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church between Henrietta and Calhoun streets near Marion Square in downtown Charleston.
Police reportedly told local reports to back away from the scene of the crime, saying there was a bomb threat in place. In 2012, close to 300,000 violent and property hate crimes were reported in the United States.
[Reprinted from TeleSUR English.]