Police in Charleston say the suspect in a fatal church shooting at a historic black church is charged with nine counts of murder as well as possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
Police spokesman Charles Francis said Friday that 21-one-year-old Dylann Roof is charged with the 10 total counts in the Wednesday night fatal church shooting.
A bond hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday. Roof is unlikely to appear in court, as most initial hearings are conducted over a video link with the county jail.
Nine people were killed in the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston. Officials are investigating it as a hate crime.
Police say Roof spent nearly an hour at the church in a prayer meeting before shooting the victims.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says the gunman should get the death penalty.
Speaking Friday morning on NBC’s “Today” show, Haley said “we will absolutely will want him to have the death penalty.”
