The 9 churchgoers killed by TERRORIST in South Carolina Church shooting #CharlestonShooting

Two reverends, a grandmother, a library worker and a recent university graduate were among the victims gunned down in a South Carolina church last night, it has emerged.

Six women and three men were allegedly shot dead by Dylann Roof, 21, during a bible study meeting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston at 9pm on Wednesday.


Roof was taken into custody in Shelby, North Carolina today after an overnight manhunt.

Among the victims was 41-year-old Reverend Clementa Pinckney, pastor of the church and a South Carolina state senator, who has been remembered as a 'giant' and a 'legend' by his peers.

The eight other victims, aged between 26 and 87, were named by the coroner on Thursday.

They were identified as Tywanza Sanders, 26, Sharonda Singleton, 45, DePayne Middleton, 49, Cynthia Hurd, 54, Myra Thompson, 59, Ethel Lee Lance, 70, Daniel Simmons, 76, and Susie Jackson, 87.
 

 

 
The Reverend Singleton, 45, was a mother-of-three and a ministerial staff member at the church. She also coached the girls track team at Goose Creek High School.

She was killed alongside fellow church-goer Tywanza Sanders, who graduated from Allen University's division of business administration in Columbia last year.

Ethel Lee Lance, 70, an officer at the church, was also killed, her family has confirmed. She worked at the church for more than 30 years.

Another victim, Cynthia Hurd, 54, had worked for 31 years for the Charleston County Public Library, which has closed all 16 locations out of respect to Hurd and the other victims.

Myra Thompson, 59, was also killed at the church, her daughter confirmed but would not comment further.

Daniel L. Simmons, 45, a retired pastor from another church in Charleston, also died. He attended the church every Sunday for services and Wednesdays for bible study, his daughter-in-law said.

Unlike the other victims, he was rushed to hospital but he passed away on the operating table, the coroner said.

The victims were shot beside Reverend Pinckney, who was also in the State senate.

He was a pastor who had recently led rallies after unarmed black man Walter Scott was shot dead by police two months ago.

After the killing, the 41-year-old South Carolina native also played a key role in pushing for legislation for officers to wear body cameras by co-sponsoring a bill recently signed into law.

 

This is the man who allegedly entered a South Carolina church last night and massacred nine people at their weekly bible study meeting.

Dylann Roof, 21, smirked as he was hauled away in handcuffs and a bullet-proof vest from the Shelby, North Carolina police department on Thursday.

Just hours earlier, he was caught after a member of the public spotted his car and called the cops, Charleston Police Chief Gregory Mullen said. Roof, from Columbia, was in his car and armed when he was approached by an officer but he was cooperative and taken into custody.

'In America, we don't let bad people like this get away,' said Charleston Mayor, Joseph P. Riley, Jr. at a press conference announcing the arrest.

On Wednesday, Roof allegedly entered the church and joined the bible study group for as long as an hour before suddenly opening fire on the group.

One survivor recounted how he reloaded his gun five times as he picked off his victims - killing three females and six males, including the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, who is also a South Carolina state senator. 

Credit: Daily Mail