Nine people are dead after a gunman went on a deadly shooting spree at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.
The gunman — a white male — opened fire during a prayer meeting at the historically black Emanuel AME Church Wednesday evening. One of the victims was church pastor Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who also served as a state senator. Pinckney helped pass a bill in April mandating that police officers wear body cameras. The bill passed following the death of an unarmed black male, Walter Scott, by a white police office in neighboring North Charleston.
Authorities have described the massacre as a hate crime.
A tenth victim has been hospitalized.
The gunman is still at large as of Thursday morning. The FBI has joined the Charleston Police Department in the investigation.
This story is developing…
[Image via AP Images.]
