Charleston Shooting: Mourners Gather for Prayer Service at Morris Brown AME Church
— -- Mourners gathered on a hot Charleston, South Carolina, day at a church prayer service, honoring the nine people killed when a gunman opened fire at another church Wednesday night.
Buckets of ice water were handed out today to people as they gathered at Charleston's Morris Brown AME Church for a noon memorial service to mourn the nine victims of the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The inside of Morris Brown AME was packed today, from the ground level to the balcony level. An overflow room was even set up for people to watch on monitors.
Speakers included South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and local leaders.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn received a standing ovation as he invoked the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and talked about the "appalling silence of good people."
"Please break your silence. Please speak up," he said.
The mood alternated between somber and lively, particularly during upbeat hymns.
When the bishop of the church announced that the suspect had been apprehended, there were loud cheers and applause from the crowd.
As the vigil got quieter inside, you could hear a crowd outside singing, "This Little Light of Mine."
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