On 17 June 2015, the Charleston church massacre took place in South Carolina when a 21-year-old white supremacist murdered nine Black worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The racist entered the church during a Bible study group. After the session, the parishioners held hands in a prayer circle, at which point he pulled out a gun and began killing as many people as possible. Amongst the victims were Clementa C. Pinckney, 41; Cynthia Graham Hurd, 54; Susie J. Jackson, 87; Ethel Lee Lance, 70; DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Daniel L Simmons Sr., 74; Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45, and Myra Thompson, 59. Many people were angered by police double standards upon seeing the armed killer being peacefully apprehended by police, who then gave him a bullet-proof jacket and bought him a meal from Burger King. Whereas there had been a rash of police killings of unarmed Black people apprehended for much less serious alleged crimes, like Walter Scott who was shot to death after being spotted with a broken brake light.
Charleston church massacre - WCH | Stories
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