Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Holds First Worship Service Since Shooting That Killed Nine

Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, is known locally as “Mother Emanuel.” According to the church’s website, it has a history tied to the Civil Rights and anti-slavery movements of the 19th century. BBC News Mundo describes it as the oldest African American church in the southern United States. The Conversation reports that many Charleston residents regard the church as a beacon of help, hope and healing for disenfranchised people.

On Wednesday, June 17, 2015, a gunman opened fire at the church. Time reported that a white man fired during a prayer meeting inside the historic black church in downtown Charleston that night. CBS News said the gunman opened fire during a Bible study. The Conversation described the attack as a racial assault on black churchgoers.

Reports differ on the number of deaths. El País, citing police, said nine people died: eight inside the church and a ninth while being transported to a medical center. Police chief Gregory Mullen gave that account, according to El País. Time, ABC7 and ABC7 New York reported that nine people were killed, including the pastor. Those reports did not describe where the ninth victim died.

The church’s history and the shooting drew wide coverage in the days that followed. ABC7 and ABC7 New York both described the church’s standing in the community and its history, while BBC News Mundo and The Conversation focused on its role as a place of refuge and service.

CBS News reported that the congregation held its first worship service on a Sunday since the shooting. Police officers stood watch over worshipers during the service, according to CBS News. The service took place in the same church where the shooting had occurred, and the congregation returned to the sanctuary to worship together (Psalm 34:18).