[TheVrist]

Charleston Suspect Was in Contact With Supremacists, Officials Say


WASHINGTON — Federal and local authorities have found that the man charged in the shooting deaths of nine black people in a South Carolina church last month had been in contact with white supremacists online, although it does not appear they encouraged him to carry out the massacre, according to law enforcement officials.

Investigators uncovered that information as they have pieced together where the gunman, Dylann Roof, 21, received his inspiration, and whether anyone else should face charges in connection with the murders.

“To understand what happened, you have to understand who he talked to and who may have known what,” said one law enforcement official briefed on the case. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a continuing investigation.

So far, the authorities have determined that people around Mr. Roof were aware that he held some racist beliefs.

If the authorities find that any of Mr. Roof’s associates knew about his plans, they would most likely try to prosecute them. In the case of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, at least two men who were friends of the bombers were charged with helping them dispose of evidence from the bombing and from a subsequent shooting of a police officer. Three other men associated with the bombers were charged in connection with lying to the authorities or obstructing the investigation.

The authorities investigating the shooting that took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church have been able to piece together the communications of Mr. Roof in part because they are in possession of his electronic devices, including his cellphone and computer. The devices were taken to F.B.I. laboratories in Quantico, Va., where they have been scrutinized by specially trained agents and analysts.

They showed that at least some of Mr. Roof’s communications with the hate groups were online.

The authorities also have looked over a manifesto and photographs posted online of him at Confederate heritage sites and slavery museums. The F.B.I. has concluded that they were probably posted by Mr. Roof. Although some of the photos appear to have been taken by someone else, bureau analysts have said that they were likely selfie photos or taken by Mr. Roof using a timer on the camera.

The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., reported on Thursday that the investigation had widened to include others who may have helped Mr. Roof. It did not identify who those people were.

The F.B.I. has dedicated significant resources to the inquiry and has worked closely with the local authorities. The Justice Department is likely to file federal hate crime charges against Mr. Roof, who already faces nine counts of murder in state court.

Senior officials at the Justice Department said that the shooting was such an extraordinary event that the department must bring hate crime charges to send a larger message about it.

[moldyguts]

So many racists in the comments

[TheVrist]

Originally Posted by CartooniacPanda ↗

Are you joking? The killer literally said it was because they were black. How can you deny this was a hate crime?

I don't see him "denying" it as a hate crime, just pointing out that there seems to be an obvious double standard.

[Oswald2001]

This was bad and wrong.

But it is NOTHING compared the sheer overwhelming mind numbingly gargantuan amount of Black-on-Black and Black-on-White crime perpetuated by the Ghetto Trash errday, errweek, errmonth and erryear.


A couple of black churches shot up doesn't even register on the meter. In even the short term, it doesn't matter in the slightest.



If they were serious, they would address the REAL Problem...yeeahya, uh huh, das rat...da Black *******.

[OhJstFkOffAlrdy]

Originally Posted by CartooniacPanda ↗

So many racists in the comments

I was about to tell you that you haven't seen anything yet, but then Oswald posted.

But seriously, that's just the internet for ya.

[St. Geno]

Originally Posted by CartooniacPanda ↗

So many racists in the comments

Funny, I was gonna say I see so many spineless non-black apologists

[TheVrist]

Originally Posted by St. Geno ↗

Funny, I was gonna say I see so many spineless non-black apologists

Equality means we tolerate self-loathing whites as well.

[twayblade]

This is why I wanted to be a criminal psychologist. To find your why these so called humans do what they do.

[curvature]

Originally Posted by cortdb ↗

ABSOLUTELY! That is my entire point. And ole curv dick called me a racist for stating the facts.

I wonder how many times you've compulsively checked your user panel these past few weeks..

only to find that PM is still un opened!

[curvature]

I never called you a racist, cortdb (db..Dumb Bastard?)

The only thing that's clear is that you're stupid.

A smart racist is an interesting conversation, but a resentful insecure dummy is, well, just fuckin fun to piss off frankly.