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Police said the alleged gunman, whom the mayor called a \"horrible scoundrel,\" was inside the church attending the prayer meeting with worshipers for almost an hour.

Three of the victims were males and six were females, officials said. The Rev. Clementa Pinckney, church pastor and a South Carolina state senator, was among the dead. Six other victims were identified as Rev. Sharonda Singleton, retired pastor Dr. Daniel L. Simmons, Ethel Lee Lance, Cynthia Hurd, Myra Thompson and recent college graduate Tywanza Sanders.

Three people survived the shooting, but details about them were not immediately available.

\"PHOTO:
David Goldman/AP Photo
PHOTO: Worshippers gather to pray down the street from the Emanuel AME Church following a shooting, June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.
>

\"This is a situation that is unacceptable in any society and especially in our society and our city,\" Mullen said.

Early this morning, police released pictures from surveillance footage showing the suspect, a white man, approximately 21 to 25 years old, as well as the car he was driving, police said.

\"PHOTO:
David Goldman/AP Photo
PHOTO: Police close off a section of Calhoun Street near the Emanuel AME Church following a shooting, June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.
>

\"This is an extremely dangerous individual,\" Mullen said.

The suspect had been described as approximately 5-foot-9, wearing a sweatshirt with distinctive markings and Timberland boots, police said.

\"PHOTO:
David Goldman/AP
PHOTO: Police stand outside the Emanuel AME Church following a shooting, June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.
>
\"PHOTO:
Wade Spees/The Post And Courier/AP Photo
PHOTO: Police talk to a man outside the Emanuel AME Church following a shooting, June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.
>

Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just \"star\" this story in ABC News' phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here.

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