[Alisyn Camerota, Cnn:] The 21-year-old inside for about an hour before opening fire with a 45-caliber pistol. One of the survivors pleaded with the gunman to stop.
[Sylvia Johnson, Friend Survived Church Massacre:] After the young man tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to finish off. He said, "No, you rape our women. And you are taking over the country."
[Camerota:] After the massacre, Roof fled the scene. And less than 14 hours later
[Debbie Dills, Floral Shop Owner Who Spotted Suspect:] It was God who made this happen.
[Camerota:] a floral shop owner, Debbie Dills, spots the alleged shooter more than 200 miles away in North Carolina, following Roof until police arrested him without incident.
[Dills:] God heard the prayers of those people, and he just used us as vessels to get his work done.
[Camerota:] Roof's roommate telling ABC News he was, quote, "big into segregation," alleging Roof was plotting something like this for six months. Roof's childhood friend tells the network
[Joey Meek, Friend Of Dylan Roof:] I think he wanted something big, like Trayvon Martin. He wanted to make something spark up the race war again.
[Camerota:] This Facebook photo revealing two flags on Roof's jacket, one from Apartheid-era South Africa, the other from the former Rhodesia, when it was ruled by a white minority, now called Zimbabwe.
[Mayor Joseph Riley Jr., Charleston, South Carolina:] There's something weird and bad and hateful going on in his mind.
[Camerota:] The community left reeling. The governor of South Carolina fighting back tears.
[Gov. Nikki Haley , South Carolina:] The heart and soul of South Carolina was broken. And so we have some grieving to do. And we've got some pain we have to go through.
[Camerota:] President Obama said he and Michelle personally knew several members of the historic Emanuel AME Church.
[Obama:] To say our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families and their community doesn't say enough to convey the heartache and the sadness and the anger that we feel.
[Camerota:] Well, it is not clear if Roof's roommate went to authorities. But Joey Meeks [SIC] told ABC News that he had not. And it's not clear why he didn't. So CNN has reached out to both the roommate and Meek. And Michaela now, again, is just a couple of blocks away from the church. And she has a look at how the victims of the massacre are being drawn together this morning by their faith. Good morning, Michaela.
[Michaela Pereira, Cnn:] Yes, you know, I'm so moved standing beside this beautiful church, Mother Emanuel, as the locals call it. The city known as "The Holy City," because the number of churches, places of worship here in the city of Charleston. The people that came here came to study the Bible, to pray. But only a handful walked out of this church alive. And now, family and the friends of the nine victims, they're facing the gut-wrenching truth that they will never see their loved ones again.
[Pereira:] From the heart of the tragedy in South Carolina
[Unidentified Male:] Our hope is in God.
[Pereira:] to the historic walls of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Georgia, thousands came to mourn nine of Charleston's most prominent educators and religious leaders, killed inside Emanuel AME Church Wednesday, including four beloved reverends. Among them, 74-year-old retired Reverend Daniel Simmons, who attended the church every Sunday; 49-year-old Reverend DePayne Middleton- Doctor, who served her community in the learning center of Southern Wesleyan University. Forty-five-year-old Reverend Sharonda Singleton, pictured here with her son on Mother's Day, coached at a local high school. Consoled by his teammates, Chris Singleton remembers his mom.
[Chris Singleton, Son Of Sharonda Singleton:] So we just love the way my mom would. The hate won't be anywhere close to what love is.
[Pereira:] And the distinctive voice of Reverend Clementa Pinckney, leader of the Emanuel AME Church, was also silenced, gunned down as he preached.
[Rev. Clementa Pinckney, South Carolina State Senator:] And to see him die face down in the ground
[Pereira:] A state senator, Reverend Pinckney became the youngest African-American ever elected to the South Carolina legislature. After the shooting of Walter Scott by police, he stressed the need for body police cameras in South Carolina.
[Pinckney:] And that a badge and a gun does not give someone superiority or will trump the constitutionally-protected privileges and rights in South Carolina.
[Pereira:] Friends and family struggle to cope with the loss of so many inside a place of worship. Recent college graduate Tywanza Sanders, just 26 years old, lost his life. Cynthia Hurd, 54 years old, she worked for decades as a librarian. Now, as a tribute to her life of service, it will be renamed in her honor.
[Tim Jackson, Grandson Of Susie Jackson:] I just want to know why. Like, why would you do something like this?
[Pereira:] Tim Jackson mourning the loss of his 87-year-old grandmother, Susie. He remembers her as a loving person with a great smile. Susie's 70-year-old cousin, Ethel Lance, also killed. And Myra Thompson, 59. She was teaching the Bible study, held each Wednesday, when the gunman opened fire. We really feel it's important to make sure you understand that these were not just nine names, nine victims, nine statistics. These were people that were loved, that are missed, that are mourned. Tywanza Sanders' best friend is going to be here with us a little later. That 26-year-old who died inside that church right behind me was known as a peacemaker. In fact, he was known to have said to have had one last act of bravery: threw himself in front of the gunman's gun and took fire instead of one of the other people that was there at the Bible study. We should tell you, another prayer vigil is going to be held for the victims. It's going to be held tonight at 6 p.m. It's been amazing to see the amount of people that are coming by here to help the city heal, to mourn alongside them. That's going to be held at a local college just down the road from here, 6 p.m. tonight. And I'm sure there's going to be a lot of people in attendance. Alisyn, I'll pass it over to you.
[Camerota:] Well, Michaela, every single story that we hear about every one of these nine people makes them each individually sound impressive. So thank you for helping us understand that this morning. So here with me now is Al Cannon. He's the Charleston County sheriff. The detention center where Dylann Roof is waking up this morning bears the sheriff's name. Sheriff Cannon, thanks so much
[Sheriff Al Cannon, Charleston County, South Carolina:] Hi, Alisyn.
[Camerota:] for being here. What a relief that this guy was captured.
[Cannon:] Certainly, law enforcement everywhere was concerned about that. And that is a positive aspect.
[Camerota:] And the people here in Charleston were scared for those hours that he was on the loose.
[Cannon:] They were. And rightly so. I mean, law enforcement was telling them to stay in and notify us of any suspicious activity. So that and just the shock of the news that was dribbling out about what what had occurred that caused that.
[Camerota:] As we said, he is in your detention center right now. Is he talking?
[Cannon:] I'm not going to go into that aspect of it, though he waived extradition, was brought back and lodged in the detention center about 7:30 last night.
[Camerota:] There's information online about this guy. He was I mean, he his roommates, people who know him say that he is a racist. But you think it's interesting that he didn't just go anywhere. He could have chosen anywhere. He chose Charleston, and he chose this historic church to carry out his heinous crime. What do you think about that?
[Cannon:] Well, you know, obviously, the racial aspect of this, which has received most of the notice, it also, I think, hurts a lot of people everywhere, but particularly in Charleston, that it occurred at a church. These nine folks were, by their involvement in the Bible study, that's certainly a reflection of the kind of life they tried to lead. Clementa Pinckney certainly first and foremost in that regard. And I last saw him, by the way, last week at the governor's signing of that body-worn camera bill. And I told him, I said, "I'm going to be out of town next week, but when I get back, let's get together and have lunch." And of course, that didn't happen. But this is an attack on the church, as well. That church, with its doors open, attracted new members. They were met with grace and graciousness. And this person came into that on that basis and betrayed it and rebuked the salvation that was part of the discussion there. And you know, Charleston has a long history with respect to its churches and the role that religion has played throughout its history. And, you know, we can talk about the obligations of someone when you have a visitor in your home.
[Camerota:] Yes, I mean, they opened their arms to him.
[Cannon:] Absolutely. And here's a man who came in and not only took advantage of that, but betrayed it and committed just an unspeakable act.
[Camerota:] We've heard so many testimonials about what a giant among men Pastor Pinckney was. As you say, you know him. You've dealt with him. And in fact, partly because of the legislation that he was behind, all your deputies will now be wearing body cameras.
[Cannon:] Well, and all the police officers in South Carolina. We have a period there where we identify appropriate policies and that sort of stuff, look for funding sources, particularly for the smaller agencies. But the bigger agencies, it's a big expense.
[Camerota:] That's just one of his legacies.
[Cannon:] He certainly played a role in that.
[Camerota:] You know, walking around town, being driven by taxi drivers around town, it's just sadness. It's just sadness, deep, deep sadness here. I don't hear anger, yet. Maybe that's coming. How do you describe what's happening to the community today and what you will do?
[Cannon:] Well, I think we're in a period of shock and tremendous sadness and hurt. I think certainly, there's some anger in the throughout the entire community, not just the folks directly affected in terms of having lost a loved one. But just that's an element of this community. And in some ways, it really distinguishes other communities. Because there are Charleston is somewhat small.
[Camerota:] Yes.
[Cannon:] And so you can really get to know people and have great relationships with them. And, you know, I think there's an anger that's not only about what happened, where it happened, the circumstances of it, but just as an assault on the city's just very fabric.
[Camerota:] Yes, absolutely. We feel it. Well, Sheriff, we know that you have your work cut out for you today. Thank you, and all of our thoughts are with your community of Charleston today.
[Cannon:] Thank you. Thank you, Alisyn.
[Camerota:] Thank you for being here. Let's go back to Chris in New York.
[Chris Cuomo, Cnn:] All right, Alisyn. Obviously, we're going to stay with you guys down there in Charleston to understand how the community is reacting and what comes next. But we do have some other headlines. The manhunt for those escaped prisoners in upstate New York 14 days on now. They say the search is widening. Both men now on the U.S. Marshals' most wanted list, as an attorney for Joyce Mitchell's husband says, he is coping with the realization that she may have been plotting with the escapees to murder him. The State Department will release its annual country reports on terrorism today. The report is mandated by Congress. It gives lawmakers a complete review on terrorism overseas. No surprise, today's report is heavily expected to focus on ISIS. One big change: for the first time, Cuba is not on that list. The EPA and Transportation Department will unveil major new regulations aimed at reducing emissions from big rigs and heavy-duty trucks. The rules kick in starting in the 2019 model year. And the auto makers get a chance to give their input before the new rules take effect. Let's get back to Mick in Charleston Mick.
[Pereira:] Should I all right, Chris, we're just learning, too, that the suspect we're getting an urgent crossing our wire, that the suspect confessed to the shootings, and apparently, he purchased that gun on his own in April. So the question becomes: how did someone facing felony charges with an apparent history of hate allegedly get his hands on a gun? Plus, we're going to speak with a friend of Pastor Clem Pinckney, who died in the shooting. That's ahead for you on NEW DAY.