New charges in Charleston church shooting: Attempted murder

Dylann Roof, 21, is accused of killing nine people at Charleston’s predominantly black Mother EmanuelA.M.E. Church on June 17.

Mr. Roof had already been charged with the nine murder counts by state warrants, plus one of possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The three additional murder charges were presented to the grand jury, and Roof was indicted immediately on those additional charges. The three new attempted murder charges were brought to the grand jury on behalf of three people who survived the shooting, prosecutor Scarlett Wilson said in a statement.

The indictments do not identify the attempted murder victims, but The Post and Courier’s interviews with people in touch with them provide insight into their role. Before opening fire at the church, Roof said, according to witnesses, “You rape our women, and you’re taking over our county”.

South Carolina Sen. Clementa Pickney, 41, who was also a pastor at the church; Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; and the reverends DePayne Middleton Doctor, 49; Sharonda Singleton, 45; and Daniel Simmons Sr., 74, died in the attack.

This report was first published on CNN.com, “Accused South Carolina church shooter Dylann Roof faces more charges”.

Roof was apprehended the next day in Shelby, North Carolina, and extradited back to Charleston.

An online manifesto linked to Roof, discovered after the shooting, espoused white supremacist ideology as well as a call to action. Federal authorities have not said whether they will pursue hate crime charges against Roof.

On Tuesday (Wednesday NZT), the South Carolina Senate passed legislation to remove the Confederate battle flag that flies at the statehouse grounds and has always been denounced by critics as a symbol of white supremacy.