It happened late at night. There’s little news coverage overnight. The police knew who he was. That’s apparent by identifying him as “21”, pretty early this morning: an exact age rather than a range. They may have been trying to find him by finding friends, relatives, etc. before the media got to them.
Lindsay Graham just said on The View that he’s been caught and that his niece went to school with him.
Captured in Shelby NC, outside of Charlotte. Details are just starting to be shared.
Suspect identified as Dyalnn Roof:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/18/us-usa-shooting-south-carolina-idUSKBN0OY06A20150618
http://abcnews.go.com/US/charleston-shooting-suspect-identified-fbi-dylann-roof-21/story?id=31851054
In a photograph published by the local Charleston daily newspaper, Dylann Roof strikes an absolutely morose pose and is wearing a jacket with patches of the Apartheid era flag of South Africa and of the flag of Rhodesia, the other former white rule nation.
@partyof5 Don’t know where you are but I’m in SC and the reports within an hour noted the suspect as white and a white bystander was detained shortly thereafter (subsequently cleared and released) because of his similarity to suspect. Glad he’s been arrested and off the streets. He attended several local schools so I’m sure we’ll hear more about him soon.
He has been apprehended, and as suspected, he has been described as different, quiet , a loner. Its sad, that he had such hatred for Blacks, yet, they seemed to be the majority who befriended him on FB.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/us/charleston-church-shooting.html seems to have that photo. This article (and others) indicate that he has now been arrested.
“…you’re taking over our country and you have to go”
Taking back our country…where have we heard that rhetoric before?
How a 21-year-old growing up in the 20th century can STILL see blacks as not Americans, not part of OUR country is shocking, disheartening, infuriating. Is he a sick puppy? Obviously, but the hate and distortion coming out of his mouth is coming from somewhere…this can’t be chalked up to just one crazy guy with a gun.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/charleston-shooter-taking-over-country
Dylann Storm Roof?
Who the heck gives a kid a middle name of Storm when their last name is Roof?
Dollars to donuts that crazy runs in the family.
Also that the shooter is either experiencing a schizophrenic break or on drugs or both. He hss the dead eyes look.
"Also that the shooter is either experiencing a schizophrenic break or on drugs or both. He hss the dead eyes look. "
I seriously doubt either of those things are the case. I see these killings and this killer much differently then Sandy Hook and the other school shootings and the shooter in the Colorado theater.
White shooter. Mental illness.
This is sadly so predictable.
White = mental illness.
Black = thug.
Middle Eastern = terrorist.
(Just to be clear I am firmly in the camp of all people who could conduct these crimes are mentally ill. I’m just pointing out the predictable responses based on skin color.)
So far there is no evidence that the shooter was schizophrenic or mentally ill. The only evidence we do have is that he’s been arrested previously on drug charges (according to his police record) and that he hates black people (according to his own words while at the church.)
Why do people assume he’s mentally ill? Personally, I just assumed that he’s evil - especially after I head what he said about black people.
That’s fair. Evil is a better word. Since I’m not a religious person, I put “evil” in the camp of mentally ill because clearly you lack the thing in your brain which tells you that mass murdering people is not acceptable.
But evil is a much better description.
A pity the police captured him alive. I hope we won’t be subjected to hearing his evil, deranged monologuing, like that Norwegian gunman, Anders Breivik.
So what is the explanation for this “evil” person having black friends on facebook? A dozen or so lapses in evilness?
Good work by the cops, capturing him so quickly.
To clarify my earlier post, I do think he did an evil evil act. Crazy does not preclude evil in my world view.
Can we please call this killer the terrorist that he is?
^ Yes. He killed because he hates black people. He wasn’t crazy or mentally ill.
To be fair, I did call him a terrorist in my OP.