The
man suspected of shooting dead nine people at an African-American
church in Charleston, South Carolina, is due to make his first court
appearance.Dylann Roof, 21, was detained more than 200 miles away in North Carolina and flown back to Charleston.
Police are treating the killings as a hate crime.
Prayer vigils have been held in churches in Charleston and across the US for the six women and three men who died in the Wednesday night shooting.
At the vigil for victim Sharonda Singleton, her teenage children told the BBC they had forgiven her killer and wanted to focus on moving on in a positive way.Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
"We already forgive him for what he's done," said her son, Chris.
"And there's nothing but love from our side of the family. Love is stronger than hate."
Churches in Charleston were full to overflowing on Thursday evening as prayer services were held. Some services were held outdoors.
Hundreds gathered outside the Emanuel AME Church, where the attack took place, to pay tribute.
Prayer vigils have been held in churches in Charleston and across the US for the six women and three men who died in the Wednesday night shooting.
At the vigil for victim Sharonda Singleton, her teenage children told the BBC they had forgiven her killer and wanted to focus on moving on in a positive way.Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
"We already forgive him for what he's done," said her son, Chris.
"And there's nothing but love from our side of the family. Love is stronger than hate."
Churches in Charleston were full to overflowing on Thursday evening as prayer services were held. Some services were held outdoors.
Hundreds gathered outside the Emanuel AME Church, where the attack took place, to pay tribute.
Mr Roof is due to appear in
court via video link for a bail hearing on Friday. He is being held at a
detention centre in the Charleston area, the county sheriff's office
said.
He was detained on Thursday after police acting on a tip-off stopped his car in Shelby, North Carolina. He waived his right to extradition and was flown back to South Carolina.
Police had earlier released CCTV images of the shooting suspect and the dark saloon car he had driven away in.
Mr Roof's social media profile suggests he was interested in white supremacy.
His Facebook page shows a picture of him wearing a jacket with flag-patches from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia - the name of Zimbabwe during the era of white minority rule. He also had Confederate flag plate on his car.
Dalton Tyler, who said he was a friend of Mr Roof, told ABC News the suspect had spoken in support of racial segregation and had said "he wanted to start a civil war".
It emerged on Thursday that the gunman had sat in a Bible study group at the church for nearly an hour before launching his attack.
Read more on BBC.
He was detained on Thursday after police acting on a tip-off stopped his car in Shelby, North Carolina. He waived his right to extradition and was flown back to South Carolina.
Police had earlier released CCTV images of the shooting suspect and the dark saloon car he had driven away in.
Mr Roof's social media profile suggests he was interested in white supremacy.
His Facebook page shows a picture of him wearing a jacket with flag-patches from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia - the name of Zimbabwe during the era of white minority rule. He also had Confederate flag plate on his car.
Dalton Tyler, who said he was a friend of Mr Roof, told ABC News the suspect had spoken in support of racial segregation and had said "he wanted to start a civil war".
It emerged on Thursday that the gunman had sat in a Bible study group at the church for nearly an hour before launching his attack.
Read more on BBC.
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