Charleston Church Massacre Detailed in Chilling Newly Released Documents

By Reuters 29 Oct, 2015 15:58 EDT

A cross bearing notes of condolence is pictured outside of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, June 21, 2015. Reuters

Police logs released on Thursday revealed a chilling account of the June 17 massacre at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, that killed nine people.

The accounts cited calls from a person inside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and another who hid in an office in the church, which is the oldest African-American congregation in the southern United States.

"People shot down ... Shot pastor ... Man is still here ... Lower level ...," an entry in the police communications log said.

An entry one minute later said, "Young white male ... Male is reloading.

"Shots have been fired. The number of shots fired is: SO MANY."

According to the report, authorities were aware of a woman hiding under an office desk with her daughter in the church. They also knew the suspected shooter had fled out the church's back door.

Dylann Roof, 21, has been charged with murder and state prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. He also faces nearly three dozen federal hate crime and weapons charges in what authorities say was a racially motivated rampage.

The heavily redacted police reports and photographs released by the Charleston Police Department on Thursday make up some of the evidence against Roof. Some media organizations who sued to get the documents made public said police went too far in blacking out names, comments and key details.

A state judge this month lifted a gag order placed on the evidence but decided that graphic crime scene photographs, audio of 911 emergency phone calls and other sensitive materials would remain sealed to protect the victims.

State prosecutor Scarlett Wilson said in a letter to media that further investigative reports would be withheld if her office decided they infringed on the privacy of the survivors and families of victims or could harm Roof's right to a fair trial.

The released documents said Roof was quiet and compliant when officers located him in Shelby, North Carolina, the morning after the massacre and pulled over his car about 10:30 a.m. When asked if he knew why he was detained, he nodded his head.

A sergeant asked Roof if police should know about anything in his car.

"Yeah, there's a gun in the backseat," Roof said, according to the report.

(Writing by Letitia Stein; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Bill Trott)

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Charleston Church Massacre Detailed in Chilling Newly Released Documents

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.