Families forgive accused church shooter

Relatives of the nine people slain this week at a black church in South Carolina forgave the alleged killer Friday during emotional remarks in a Charleston courtroom.

Dylann Roof, the alleged shooter, stood in silence as, one by one, the victims’ families were allowed to address him during a bond hearing, his first court appearance since his arrest.

“I just wanted everybody to know, to you, I forgive you,” said the daughter of Ethel Lee Lance, who spoke first. “You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her every again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you.”

“I forgive you, my family forgives you, but we would like you to take this opportunity to repent, confess, give your life to the one who matters the most, Christ, so he can change it, change your ways whatever happens to you,” said Anthony Thompson, a relative of Myra Thompson.

“Everyone’s plea for your soul is proof that they lived in love and their legacies will live in love,” said the granddaughter of the late Rev. Daniel Simmons. “Hate won’t win.”

{mosads}Chief Magistrate James Gosnell levied a $1 million bond on Roof for a charge of possessing a weapon while committing a violent crime. Roof also faces nine murder counts for allegedly opening fire inside of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Wednesday, but the magistrate does not have the power to set a bond on those charges. A circuit court must set that bond.

Gosnell gave an opening statement praising the community of Charleston and promised to reach out to all of the victims of the shooting.

“We have victims, nine, but we also have victims on the other side. There are victims on this young man’s side of the family,” he said. “We must find it in our hearts at some point in time not only to help those that are victims but to help his family as well.”

He then asked representatives of the families of victims to address the court.

Felicia Sanders told Roof that “we welcomed you into our Bible study Wednesday night with open arms.”

“Every fiber in my body hurts and I’ll never be the same,” she said. “As we say in Bible study, we enjoyed you but may God have mercy on you.”

Sanders spoke on behalf of her son, 26-year-old Tywanza, who died in the shooting. Tywanza dove in front of his aunt and took the bullet for her, according to The New York Times. Tywanza’s neice and Felicia both pretended to be dead so that they were not shot, the report adds.

Roof, 21, appeared at the bond hearing live through a video conference. He stood in a small room with two heavily armored officers standing behind him, only answering the magistrate judge’s questions in brief responses.