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9 people are shot and killed inside Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, by a 21-year-old gunman

An anti-black mass shooting and hate crime occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.

An anti-black mass shooting and hate crime occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine people were killed and another injured during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest black church in the Southern United States. Among the fatalities was the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney. All ten victims were African Americans. At the time, it was one of the deadliest mass shootings at a place of worship in U.S. history, tied with the Waddell Buddhist temple shooting. Both incidents were surpassed by the Sutherland Springs church shooting in 2017.

Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist, had attended the Bible study before opening fire. He was found to have targeted members of this church because of its history and status.

Historical Significance

An anti-black mass shooting and hate crime occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.

Events Before

  1. Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is t

    Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is the first time no Englishman has been in the final

  2. English "Roxy Music" singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry [68] divorces second wife English public relations specialist Amanda

    English "Roxy Music" singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry [68] divorces second wife English public relations specialist Amanda Sheppard [32] after a year and a half of marriage

  3. Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the c

    Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the capital, Kiev, culminating after five days in the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych

  4. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive searc

    Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 with 239 people on board loses contact and disappears, prompting the most expensive search effort in history and one of the most enduring aviation mysteries

  5. Russia formally annexes Crimea amid international condemnation

    In February and March 2014, Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine, occupied it, and then annexed it after an illegitimate referendum.

Events After

  1. After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31 people, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood-threatened M

    After floods along the Mississippi River kill 31 people, Exxon Mobil Corp decides to close a plant in flood-threatened Memphis

  2. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, six months after hi

    Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto announces the recapture of drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, six months after his escape from prison

  3. American singer-actress Katharine McPhee (31) divorces producer Nick Cokas (50) after 8 years of marriage

    American singer-actress Katharine McPhee (31) divorces producer Nick Cokas (50) after 8 years of marriage

  4. Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana in the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodo

    Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana in the first meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches in nearly 1,000 years

  5. Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Mich

    Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Michelle

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 17, 2015?
An anti-black mass shooting and hate crime occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine people were killed and another injured during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest black church in the Southern United States. Among the fatalities was the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C.
Why is 9 people are shot and killed inside Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South C... significant?
An anti-black mass shooting and hate crime occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.

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June 17 in HistoryYear 2015