this is cnn breaking news. >> the breaking news is nine people dead at a black church. a killer on the run. the victims murdered inside this south carolina church. charleston, south carolina, overnight. happening right now, an intense manhunt for the shooter. good morning. welcome to "early start." i'm john berman. >> i'm christine romans. it is thursday, june 18th. 4:00 a.m. in the east. a gunman is on the loose right now after shooting and killing nine people at a prayer meeting in a charleston, south carolina church. frantic church for the suspect

at this hour. he is described as a white male in his 20s. the police chief describing this as a hate crime taking place at emanuel african-american methodist church. >> this is a tragedy that no community should have to experience. it is senseless and it is unfathomable that somebody in today's society would walk into a church when people are having a prayer meeting and take their lives. i can assure you that we are going to do everything in our power to find this individual and lock him up and make sure that he does not hurt anyone else. >> let's go live to charleston and bring in ashley killow with the latest. nine people shot. this is a town in immense grief

and fear. >> reporter: and shock as well. people say this is generally considered a safe part of charleston. people are feeling more cautious tonight. a couple of taxi drivers said they may not pick up the man they are looking for. officials are urging caution, but not a lot of details on where exactly the suspect could be and we are supposed to find out more information at a press conference in a couple of hours. >> this happened at 9:00 last night at the emanuel african-american methodist church. more than 150 years of history. a key part of the society down there. this happened during a prayer meeting.

the suspect is described as a 20-year-old white male on the run right now with timberland boots. sandy blond hair. a manhunt in this city as people there are grieving. ashley, don't go anywhere. i want to play sound from city officials. the mayor and police chief who are describing this as a hate crime. >> do you believe this was a hate crime? >> i do believe this was a hate crime. >> is that why the fbi is here? >> it will be investigated as a hate crime. the fbi would be here regardless because of the size and scope of the investigation. they are our partners. they are here to help us regardless. they are here for that specific -- >> the only reason someone could walk into church and shoot people praying is out of hate. the only reason. that is the most dastardly act that you can possibly imagine.

we will bring that person to justice as soon as possible. >> there is absolutely no reason to go into a church and open fire on people in a prayer meeting. ashley killough is still with us. describe the police presence you are seeing. >> reporter: yes, they had a few of the streets around the church closed off for much of the past several hours. they are starting to open up those streets now. one of the reasons why the streets were closed earlier is because there was a bomb threat for a few hours. that has gone away. they are no longer concerned about that. it has been mentioned, the suspect is still out there. they are concerned about the area. >> let's talk a little bit about what the families are saying and the people who are parishioners at the church are saying. i want to listen to the mayor describe the meeting with the families. let's listen to that. >> we just left speaking with

members of the family. a heartbreaking scene i have never witnessed in my life before. i told them that this community sends forth their love to them and that we are all in this together in the community to help those who have lost the loved one get through this time and give them our love and support and encouragement as we bring this awful person to justice as soon as humanly possible. >> ashley, it is now six or seven hours after the gunman walked into the church and killed nine people and disappeared into the night. are there still people on the scene, family members on the scene? what are people doing and saying? >> reporter: you know, the activity in terms of the people from the area, that has died down a little bit. for much of the night, a few

dozen people gathered in prayer circles and praying for a sense of peace and sense of calm. they are hoping for justice for the situation. they were very passionate and intense circles with lots of almost shouting those prayers. there was singing of worship songs as well. faith is really at the heart of this. it's a very -- the city has a nickname of the holy city because of the churches in the historic part of the city. >> this area has such a rich history. we do not yet know the identities, ashley, of those killed, do we? >> reporter: no. they are not releasing that information. perhaps at 7:00 when we have the press conference when we hear more. there are reports of specific

people who lost their lives, but officials are not confirming that yet. they are still informing family members of the victims. they also said there were some survivors, but they are not being specific yet on how many and who. >> horrible stories, ashley, from people inside the church. you say the white shooter came in and sat down for a period of time before standing up and shooting. the paper there reporting that the survivor was told i want you to go tell people what i have done here. ashley killough in charleston, south carolina. thank you. >> church is a place of safety. let's bring in robert costa. he is on the scene and has been in charleston all night long. this is a community in shock and grief and looking for a dangerous person on the loose at

this hour. what do you know? >> reporter: i have never seen anything like this in my entire life. i went to the embassy suites, a holding area for the church. you have the families and friends of the victims and they were being told of the news. it was a painful scene. screams and tears. surreal. you see the black community here really struggling with the nine confirmed deaths and one in the hospital. as i talk to you right now, i'm looking at the troopers and police officers here in charleston roaming the streets. there are canine units here trying to search for the 21-year-old sandy blond haired suspect. >> robert, i have been reading your descriptions of what you have been reporting on all night. at this point, describe more of

the hunt right now. i have seen you talk about the fatigued law enforcement officials right now on the search. are they in protective mode or following up on leads? >> reporter: following up on leads. a lot of the streets at 4:00 a.m. eastern are being opened in charleston. i huddled with a group of charleston county law enforcement. they told me a few minutes ago, they have leads. they have canines out in charleston. also looking in the suburbs of the city. they are not looking around the immediate area of the church. >> have there been threats, robert, to this church? this is a well known congregation. it goes all the way back to 1810. we talked about the king center tweeting a picture of dr. martin

luther king jr. in the church. wednesday night prayer meeting. have there ever been threats to this church? >> reporter: not that i know of. i have spoken with church members. when you walk around the streets here, this is the sleepy south. this has palm trees on the street. a nice park on the street and gas station and convenience stores. this is a pleasant area. not an area you think of crime. people were having a prayer service here. that stunned a lot of parishioners here. >> robert, hang on a second. we will put up file picture of the emanuel african methodist church. the file footage we have is old. it is a beautiful church. this was a church that existed during slavery, by the way, for

black individuals in the south. >> important spot in the underground railroad. >> it was formed for slave revolt in 1800s and now this is the center of community for the last several years. robert, i know you are in south carolina for politics. hillary clinton was there yesterday. jeb bush was scheduled to be there today, but i understand he has canceled that visit. >> reporter: he has. i can confirm that. former governor bush was going to have a town hall meeting here at the maritime center. the maritime center is now the command center of sorts for the police and law enforcement. >> we are showing that file footage. do we know where this happened? in the sanctuary or prayer room?

do we know? >> reporter: they are dealing with the deceased inside the church. in the main area of the church, according to people there, speaking to me. it was a conference room, not actually in the main area of the church, but nearby. >> and robert, we are hearing these horrific tales of what went on inside. the local paper and "post" and "currier" reporting that the shooter sat down inside church before opening fire. he told someone go tell people what i have done here. are you getting that? >> reporter: i had an interview are norville. he is the ame baptist leader. he was with the press conference with the chief and mayor. he told me he met with many of

the victims' families. their story to him was the killer came in and lingering around the prayer group. quiet and may have said a few words. wasn't joining in the prayer. but then began to open fire very suddenly after lingering by the side. >> wednesday night prayer group. this is pretty common. bible study, prayer group in the evening after work on a wednesday. probably common or publicized. someone coming in to join in is not unusual, but this turned out to be a very deadly stranger. >> robert, again, we do not know the identities of those who are dead. there are questions about the pastor at this church. a man who is also a state senator. >> reporter: yes. i have spoken to people at the church. he was at his own church tonight. however, it should be noted the law enforcement officials here

in charleston have not officially confirmed any name. >> clement pinkney. again, an influential church. a well known church. a key church in the community down there. >> we have a picture -- >> reporter: people call it on calhoun street, they call it the heart of the african-american community here in charleston. this is not a small neighborhood out at prayer group. this is the heart of the baptist community and african-american community in charleston. >> the dr. king center in atlanta issued a statement regarding the shooting. tweeting a picture that harkens back to the civil rights moveme movement. dr. king at the podium preaching at emanuel ame. they believe nonviolence is not just about our physical response, but our social media

communication. >> robert costa of "the washington post." we appreciate your time. it has been a long night. it is emotional to be around so many people grieving. robert said they call this church the heart of the community down there. the heart is bruised. >> just to reset. a gunman on the loose. nine people dead in a black church in south carolina. the killer on the run wearing a hoodie, jeans, timberland boots and sandy blond hair. a white man walking into that church and killing nine people. we will follow it when we come back. p, to tripping over a rug, to just losing their balance. and not being able to get up from a fall can have serious lifetime consequences. being prepared is important.

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our breaking news this morning. a gunman opened fire inside a charleston, south carolina church, killing nine people who were at a prayer meeting. this is one of the most famous african-american churches in charleston, south carolina. the police chief describes the slaughter as a hate crime. the suspect is described as a

white male in his early 20s. he is still at large. a manhunt is underway. a very tense situation in charleston. again, the shooter targeted the emanuel a.m.e. church. known as the heart of the community. >> this is the most unspeakable tragedy in historic emanuel a.m.e. church. mother church of the a.m.e. churches. people in prayer on a wednesday evening. a ritual of coming together and praying and worshipping god to have a awful person come in and shoot them is inexplicable. obviously the most intolerable and unbelievable act possible.

>> this is a terrible tragedy for charleston. the entire city, not just the african-american community. of course, south carolina is the site of a lot of politics. a lot of people campaign in south carolina. hillary clinton was in charleston yesterday. jeb bush was due to hold a meeting down the street from the church. the place where he was to hold the campaign event is now the command center for police there. jeb bush has canceled his event in south carolina today. >> wednesday night bible study and prayer meetings are routine. a safe middle of the week way to recharge as you go on with your lives. these people were in this conference room in this church together worshipping and recharging about their religion. this early 20s sandy blond hair man. they are still looking for this man who killed nine people.

more breaking news coverage next.

breaking news this morning in charleston, south carolina. police are searching for a gunman who opened fire inside an african-american church killing nine people there. the city's police chief says he considers this a hate crime. right now, law enforcement

looking for a white male in his early 20s. walked into the emanuel african-american methodist church around 9:00 p.m. and began firing. >> the police department and state law enforcement division and other municipalities, the fbi and others are all combined and working with us to make sure that we catch this awful person and bring him to justice as soon as possible. >> sandy blond hair, jeans, hood hoodie, timberland shoes, walked in and walked out. jeb bush's campaign event has been cancelled today. hillary clinton's event was held yesterday and she left the city before the shooting happened. a lot of questions, john, were there cameras around there? do they know what this person looks like?

there are survivors who are able to talk to authorities to say what this gunman looked like. in his early 20s. officials say this was a hate crime. >> local police, state police, fbi involved in this active manhunt. helicopters overhead. streets have been closed down. law enforcement in fatigues involved in this manhunt right now. we spoke to robert costa of "the washington post" who has been with witnesses and leaders all night. saying the shooter who is a white male, walked into the church and lingered before opening fire. there are survivors. we do not know how many survivors. we are getting this information throughout the morning. >> this church, historic church, dr. martin luther king jr. preached at the church. nine people murdered in that sanctuary. we are live right after the break.

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our breaking news this morning, massacre at church. nine people murdered in what police are calling a hate crime in charleston. the killer is on the run right now.