The man who allegedly shot to death nine members of a Black church in Charleston is expected to be indicted on federal hate crimes charges.
Federal officials initially were unsure if the shooting murders of nine people in a Black church should be prosecuted as hate crimes. “A grand jury was expected to return a federal indictment on Wednesday afternoon,” the New York Times just reported.
“Justice Department and F.B.I. officials have said the Charleston shooting was so horrific and racially motivated that the federal government must address it,” the Times reports. “He was also charged with killing someone while obstructing religious freedom, which is eligible for the death penalty.”
Roof is already facing murder charges of each of the nine parishioners.
“Justice Department officials have said the shooting was designed ‘to strike fear and terror,’ prompting their consideration of additional counts, including a hate-crime charge,” the Wall Street Journal adds, noting that “South Carolina doesn’t have a hate-crime law.”
He reportedly had told victims, “You are raping our women and taking over our country.â€
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Image: Screenshot via NBC News