NAACP President: When Church Opens On Sunday, You’ll Find Us There

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 CHARLESTON, SC — The suspected gunman admittedly wanted to divide the community, but the church shooting rampage has done anything but that.

“When church opens on Sunday morning, you’ll find us there, filled with more resolve, more determination, more courage, more commitment,” said NAACP President Cornell Willliam Brooks.

Strangers, victims families, friends, coming together in grief. Elijah Grant grew up in Emanuel AME Church.

“Anger’s over, and it sets in you got to go to the next phase,” said Grant.

Church members welcomed Dylann Roof into their prayer meeting Wednesday night, not knowing the massacre his friends say he planned for months. Police say the 21-year old confessed he targeted the church members because of their race, saying he wanted to start a race war.

“We must stand up for the greater good, regardless of color, we need to speak out against bigotry, racism, violence, terrorist acts,” said Rev. Norvel Goff, Sr.

A day after Roof’s arrest in Shelby, a melting pot gathers to comfort one another.

Crime tape still blocks the church where the shooting rampage happened. Police allow mourners to cross under to leave flowers, candles, notes. On this side the ribbons signify the nine lives killed. And the community really responds to the message this sends.

“We walk in solidarity of each other regardless race or creed,” said Sister Kathleen Thomas of the Daughters of St. Paul.  “And I think that’s what hurts most.” 

That someone would go so far to divide. Killing mothers, grandmothers, teachers, church leaders. A little girl played dead to escape the bullets,

“Things like this happen,” said Grant.  “But you always think not here. It couldn’t happen here. It couldn’t happen in church.”

What’s known as the Holy City brought to its knees… waiting for justice.