Heartbreaking Photos: Nine Dead In Mass 'Race-Hate' Shooting At Historic Black Church In Charleston, USA

A gunman who opened fire killing nine people in a race-hate crime at an African American church in South Carolina reportedly letting one woman escape so she could tell everyone else what happened.
The suspect, a white man in his twenties, stormed a weekly bible study group at the 150-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston at around 9pm and opened fire on the room.
Eight of the victims died at the scene, and one later in a hospital. At least one injured person is being treated in a hospital. Rev. Clementa Pinckney, pastor of the church and South Carolina state senator, is among the dead.

According to Dot Scott, president of the Charleston NAACP, a female survivor told her family members the gunman initially sat down in the church before opening fire.

Mr Scott told the Post and Courier that the gunman told the woman she could escape and said he was letting her live so she could the world what happened.

Just hours before the shooting, Rev Pinckney met with Hillary Clinton as part of her presidential candidate campaign. Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush has canceled an appearance in Charleston that had been scheduled for today.

Charleston police chief Gregory Mullen said in a news conference shortly after the incident:

 'This is a tragedy that no community should have to experience… It is senseless, unfathomable…we are going to do everything in our power to find this individual, to lock him up, to make sure he does not hurt anyone else…' 

He said he believes the shooting was a hate crime. 

Soon after Wednesday night's shooting, a group of pastors huddled together praying in a circle across the street.

According to the church's website, Emanuel AME Church -- often referred to as 'Mother Emanuel' -- is the oldest AME church in the south and has one of the largest black congregations south of Baltimore, Maryland.

The 150-year-old church played an important role in the state's history, including the slavery era and the Civil Rights movement.

It has been reported that Jeb Bush, 2016 presidential candidate, cancelled a planned trip to South Carolina and the state legislature has postponed a sitting planned for Thursday.

See more photos below:

Killed: A gunman opened fire at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina Wednesday night, killing nine people, and reports say a bomb threat was called in just hours later 

 A huge manhunt ensued with officers wearing bullet-proof vests and carrying guns; the gunman was still at large at 2am

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Victims: Mullen said there are a number of victims, some have been moved to a hospital (here, Lisa Doctor joins a prayer circle down the street from the church'

Shooting: Police responded to the shooting around 9pm at the 150-year-old church and Charleston police chief Gregory Mullen said he believes the shooting was a hate crime

Pastor:Rev. Clementa Pinckney (pictured), pastor of the church and South Carolina state senator is among the dead

Bomb Threat: Just hours after the shooting, as a heavy police presence remained in the area, a bomb threat was called in to the scene, later Mullen said the threat had rescinded

Prayer Circle: Here, a group of several men are seen standing in a circle in front of a hotel near the church for an impromptu prayer service 

Tragedy: Local residents and church members embraced and consoled one another in the hours following the incident, the police chief described the incident as a 'senseless, unfathomable' tragedy 

Suspect: The suspect is described as a clean-shaven, 21-year-old white male and is believed to be wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and Timberland boots

Unspeakable: Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley (right) described the incident as an 'unspeakable tragedy' and said that the city will catch 'this awful person and bring him to justice as soon as possible'

Heartbreaking: Hillary Clinton tweeted to her millions of followers that news of the shooting was 'heartbreaking' and her 'thoughts and prayers' are with Charleston 

Statement: South Carolina issued this statement describing the shooting as a 'senseless tragedy' and saying she and others will 'never understand what motivates anyone to enter one of our places of worship and take the life of another' 

Custody: Police were seen soon after the shooting taking a man matching the description into custody but the man was released soon after and the Charleston Police Department tweeted that the gunman was still at large

This is really sad and heart breaking. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, Amen.
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