“Hate Won’t Win”: Victims’ Family Members Confront Dylann Roof in Court
[There was a video here]
Family members of the victims killed during Wednesday’s shooting at Emanual AME church in Charleston confronted accused gunman Dylann Roof during his bond hearing this afternoon. “We have no room for hate,” one relative said. “So we have to forgive. I pray God has mercy on your soul.”
Representatives of the family members had the chance to speak to Roof via a remote link. Not everyone spoke, but those who did mentioned forgiveness. “I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you,” a daughter of Ethel Lance said as the suspected killer as he stood there in silence. “And have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people but God forgives you, and I forgive you.”
Felicia Sanders — the mother of victim Tywanza Sanders — said that “every fiber in my body hurts, and I will never be the same.”
“As we said in the Bible study, we enjoyed you,” she said of Roof. “But may God have mercy on you.”
The granddaughter of another victim told Roof, “Hate won’t win.”
Later in the hearing, a judge denied Roof’s bail request on the murder charges and set bail at $1 million for the weapons charge. His first court date is set for October 23.
The full bond hearing is below.
