Dylann Roof Charged with Murder over Charleston Church Shooting
Charleston church shooting gunman Dylann Roof has been charged with nine counts of murder and one weapons possession charge, police say.
Dylann Roof, 21, shot dead nine people at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17.
He is due to make his first court appearance on June 19.
Police are treating the killings at the Emanuel AME Church as a hate crime.
Dylann Roof was arrested the following day more than 200 miles away in North Carolina and then flown back to Charleston.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has said Dylann Roof should face execution.
“We will absolutely want him to have the death penalty,” Nikki Haley told NBC News.
Dylann Roof’s first court hearing is set for 14:00 local time, but it is likely he will appear via a video feed and not in person.
The victims of the shooting included a state senator.
President Barack Obama, speaking on June 18, described the event as yet another tragedy caused by guns in society.
The city’s mayor called the massacre an act of “pure, pure concentrated evil”.
An acquaintance of Dylann Roof said that the 21-year-old had complained that “blacks were taking over the world”.
Joey Meek said that he and Dylann Roof got drunk a few weeks ago, and his friend said “someone needed to do something about it for the white race”.
After the shooting, Dylann Roof absconded to North Carolina, where he was arrested in the town of Shelby – over 200 miles away from Charleston – on June 18.
Police located the suspect after receiving a tip from the public.
Local reports say that a florist who was late to work noticed Dylann Roof’s distinctive haircut and alerted police.
“I saw the pictures of him with the bowl cut. I said, <<I’ve seen that car for some reason.>> I look over, and it’s got a South Carolina tag on it,” florist Debbie Dills told the Shelby Star.
Debbie Dills followed Dylann Roof for 25 miles until police made the arrest.
Charleston officials are planning a prayer vigil for Friday evening, June 19.