CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Dylann Storm Roof, the 21-year-old man who police say walked into a South Carolina, church and fatally shot nine people as they attended Bible study class, was arrested in Shelby, North Carolina on Thursday.
According to WLTX, Roof was arrested in Shelby on Thursday. Multiple sources are also reporting Roof has been arrested.
No other information is available at this time.
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Police released a flier Thursday morning with details of the suspect in the attack on the historic African-American church as they appealed for help to track him down as quickly as possible.
According to reports, Roof is currently out on bond in connection with multiple recent arrests on drug and trespassing charges.
"The following subject is wanted for the shooting that occured in Charleston at the Emanuel AME Church. Subject is Dylann Storm Roof w/m 4/3/1994 5'9" 120 lbs. The subject should be driving a 2000 Hyundai Elantra GS, SC registration LGF330. The vehicle is dark-colored. Subject should be considered armed and dangerous and caution should be used if seen. "
The uncle of the suspect told Reuters he recognized his nephew in the photo released by police. He also said Roof received a .45 caliber pistol as a birthday present in April.
Witnesses said Roof reportedly said he was at the church to shoot black people, an official told CNN.
Charleston Police Chief Gregory Mullen told a news conference that officers "have obtained surveillance videos of the suspect in this case and a suspect vehicle."
Mullen said the suspect was a "younger white male between 21 and 25 years of age, 5-foot-9 in height" and "has a very distinctive sweatshirt that has markings."
Surveillance image released by Charleston Police.
Mullen emphasized the suspect is "a very dangerous individual" and said "he should not be approached by anyone."
Any people who recognize the suspect or spots the vehicle should alert law enforcement, he said, rather than trying to follow themselves.
Woman spared by shooter to give account?
A female survivor told family members that the gunman told her he was letting her live to tell everyone else what happened, Dot Scott, president of the local branch of the NAACP, told CNN.
Scott said she had not spoken to the survivor directly but had heard this account repeated at least a dozen times as she met with relatives of the victims Wednesday night. Scott added that she didn't know if the survivor had ended up at the hospital or being questioned by police.
Because of the church's historic significance, it is not unusual for visitors, whether white or black, to visit it, Scott said. She said she'd had no indication that any children were among the victims.
Mullen told the news conference the suspect had been in the church attending a meeting that was going on -- and "stayed there almost an hour with the group before the actual event."
But he declined to comment on whether the suspect had let one woman escape.
Surveillance image released by Charleston Police.
'Distinctive' license plate
The suspect was seen leaving the church in a black four-door sedan, the flier says. "The vehicle you will see has a very distinctive front license plate," Mullen added.
He appealed for the media to help in circulating the suspect's image and for the public to be vigilant. The clean-shaven man pictured wears a gray sweatshirt over a white T-shirt, blue jeans and Timberland boots.
"No one in this community will ever forget this night and as a result of this and because of the pain and the hurt this individual has caused this entire community, the law enforcement agents are committed and we will catch this individual," Mullen said.
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley echoed that sentiment, saying everything must be done to find a culprit he described as "somebody filled with hate and with a deranged mind."
The man is a "no-good, horrible person" who must be taken into custody as soon as possible, he said. "Of course we will make sure he pays the price for this horrible act."
Wednesday night's attack at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church is being investigated as a hate crime. All the victims, who include the church's pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, were black. Six of those killed were female and three male.
