A 21-year old white male, by the name of Dylann Storm Roof has been arrested in the slaying of nine people including the pastor at a prayer meeting inside a historic black church, The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest African American Churches in South Carolina.
The Pastor of the church who was killed in the shooting is S.C Senator Clementa Pinckney, who served in the General Assembly for 18-years.....
See more after the jump!!!
In a televised conference reacting to the shooting, the Mayor of Charleston, Joseph P Riley Jr said to CNN....."The only motive to kill during church prayer is HATE"
Dylaan reportedly stayed for nearly an hour inside the Church Wednesday night before opening fire on six females and three males at a prayer meeting.
Meanwhile, 41-year old Pinckney is being remembered by his congregation as well as fellow Senators today....."He was the most kind and gentleman in the Senate, and I am not just saying that now" said State Senator katrina Shealy, R-Lexington. "He was quiet,..until he spoke with that his Barry White voice. His words were always well thought out, not just words. he always stopped by to ask how you were doing and shake your hands or pat you in the back. He was a good man"
State Senator Marlon Kimpson, D-Charleston described his fallen colleague as the "moral conscience of the General Assembly"
Earlier this year, Pinckney helped build support for a bill that will pave the way for S.C police officers to have body cameras, a proposal that gained momentum after Walter Scott, an unarmed North Charleston black man was shot and killed by a police officer.
"It was his speech on the Senate floor about togetherness and belief that we can do better that brought the body-camera bill to passage and garnered largely bipartisan support" Kimpson said.
"He was a moral leader of the Senate and when he spoke, people listened"
A drape and a rose was placed on Senator Clementa Pinckney's desk in the House on Thursday, as per tradition on the passing of a Senator. This brought State Senator Vincent Sheheen(D-Kershaw) to tears. The senator got emotional as he sat next to the draped desk of state,
"He was a man with a booming voice and notable presence, but always a peaceful, calming presence" said Rutherfold, the House Minority leader.
"He did not want to pick a fight. Even when I was pushing him to pick a fight on the Jasper Port, he said 'No, we need to do it a different way' "
Pinckney, grew up in jasper. Was ordained at 18. he became a politician at a young age. he was elected into the House of Representative in 1996 at the age of 23 after serving as a page in the State House. After serving two terms, he won a seat in the Senate at the age of 27. he said his youth was an advantage......
"I'm not set in my ways and not set in old ways. Just like slavery needed to die out, old ideas needed to die out. Being young allows me to be open-minded" he told The (Charleston) Post and Courier in 2001
He was a member of the Senate's finance, education, banking, corrections and medical affairs committee.
He leaves behind a wife, Jennifer and two young daughter, Eliana and Malana
A drape and a rose was placed on Senator Clementa Pinckney's desk in the House on Thursday, June 18th, 2015
The shooter, Roof, did not put up any resistance during his arrest. his childhood friend tipped the FBI after recognizing him from the surveillance footage which later led police to his car in Shelby, North Carolina.
May his soul rest in perfect peace!!!
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