Charged with federal hate crimes
Roof is charged with 33 counts of hate crimes by a federal grand jury. The indictment says he targeted the victims on the basis of race, in a house of worship, “in order to make his attack more notorious”. Attorney General Lynch says the federal government has not decided if it will seek the death penalty if Roof is convicted and that officials will consider factors including the wishes of the families of the shooting victims. Lynch:
The parishioners had Bibles. Dylann Roof had his .45 caliber Glock pistol and eight magazines loaded with hollow point bullets.