Washington, Jun 18 (EFE).- At least nine people were killed in a shooting at a Methodist church in Charleston, in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the city's Mayor Joseph Riles said Wednesday.
The incident occurred at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church at 21:00 on Wednesday during a meeting of the parishioners, according to local police spokesperson Charles Francis.
According to security forces, eight people died inside the church while another two were taken to the hospital, where one succumbed to his injuries.
Though the police have not released names of the dead, NBC channel reported the state's Democratic Senator Clementa Pinckney was among the victims.
Police chief Greg Mullen said he was convinced they were dealing with a case of "hate crime."
The suspect, who is yet to be captured, is a white man of slender build, in his early 20s, wearing jeans, blue sweatshirt and boots, Francis said.
After the shooting, authorities evacuated the area, owing to a bomb threat, which was later dismissed.
AME is a historical Afro-American church established in 1816, when several churches broke away from Charleston's Methodist Episcopal Church and is frequented by the city's black community.
