CHARLESTON // A white gunman killed nine people and injured at least one other at an historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in an incident that authorities said was a “hate crime”.
Police were still searching early Thursday morning in Charleston for the suspect, who they described as a 21-year-old male.
The church’s pastor, Clementa Pinckney, a South Carolina state senator, was among those killed, Reverend Al Sharpton said in a post on his Twitter feed.
Mayor Joseph Riley Jr described the scene as a “most unspeakable, heartbreaking tragedy”.
“This is one hateful person that did these dastardly deeds,” Mr Riley said.
Police chief Greg Mullen said, “This was a hate crime.”
Police received a call about the shooting on Wednesday at 9.05pm local time. Officers found eight people dead when they arrived on the scene. Two people were transported to the Medical University of South Carolina, where one died.
Mr Mullen described the shooter as having sandy-blond hair and being “extremely dangerous”.
“I can assure you that we’re going to do everything in our power to find this individual, lock him up, to make sure that he does not hurt anyone else,” he said.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
