Friend of Charleston suspect says Dylann Roof had 'a plan'
Dylann Roof, the man accused of killing nine in a historic black church in Charleston Wednesday night, believed "blacks were taking over the world," according to his former friend, Joey Meek.
Meek says that he had reconnected with Roof a few weeks ago when Roof revealed that "someone needed to do something about it for the white race" and that he had "a plan." Roof also allegedly told Meek that he had used birthday money from his parents to buy a .45-caliber Glock pistol.
Pictures from Roof's Facebook page also revealed the alleged shooter's support of white-ruled regimes, including apartheid-era South Africa and white-controlled Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe.
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Meek identified Roof from surveillance footage, recognizing the stained sweatshirt Roof was wearing from when he'd come over to play Xbox games at Meek's house the morning of the attack. Meek then called the FBI.
A prayer vigil is to be held for the Charleston victims Friday evening.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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