Dylann Roof reportedly confesses to Charleston church shooting

(Image credit: Twitter)

last updated 19 June 2015

Dylann Roof has confessed to shooting and killing nine people who had gathered for Bible study in a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday night, police officials say. According to one of the officials, Roof had wanted to start a race war.

Sources told NBC News that Roof claimed he "almost didn't go through with [the shooting] because everyone was so nice to him," then decided he had to "go through with his mission."

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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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