Dylann Roof, the gunman who killed nine people during a shooting spree at a Charleston church, has been charged with nine counts of murder. South Carolina’s Governor Nikki Haley has asked for a death penalty for Roof.
“We will absolutely want him to have the death penalty,” Gov. Nikki Haley told NBC.
Dylann Storm Roof was scheduled to make his first South Carolina court appearance at 2 pm. (2330 IST). He was unlikely to appear in court, as most initial hearings are conducted over a video link with the county jail. He also faces a charge of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
Roof is accused of Wednesday night’s shooting during a Bible study at The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. Charleston officials announced a prayer vigil for Friday evening.
President Barack Obama has called the tragedy yet another example of damage caused by guns in America. The city’s mayor described the shooting at the church as an act of “pure, pure concentrated evil.”
Joey Meek, a former friend who reconnected with Roof a few weeks ago, said that while they got drunk on vodka, Roof declared that “someone needed to do something about it for the white race.”
During their reunion a few weeks ago, Roof said he had bought a .45-caliber Glock pistol and that he had “a plan,” Meek said. Meek said it scared him enough that he took the gun out of Roof’s car and hid it in his house until the next day.
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