Reverend and 8 Parishioners Killed in Hate Crime in Historic Black Church

In what can be described as brutal, brazen and heinous, a lone gunman shot up Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, a historic Black church in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday. The young white man, described in his early 20’s, actually attended a prayer meeting for an hour before he opened fire. A total of 9 victims were killed, 6 women and 3 men, including the pastor, Reverend Clementa Pickney.

The shooter escaped and is currently on the loose with a manhunt underway. Authorities are considering it a hate crime which allows for federal prosecution.

Emanuel African has been in Charleston since 1816 after black members of Charleston’s Methodist Episcopal Church formed their own congregation.

Over its history, it has been burned to the ground, destroyed by an earthquake and even banned at one point. Each time, the church came back and is now the largest black church in Charleston based on seating capacity.

There’s no doubt that with healing and prayer, that the church will come back even stronger after this tragedy.