just hours after the children of sharon singleton learned what happened, they spoke of forgiveness. >> we forgive, that's one thing we'll do. we forgive right now. for everything that's happened. she's the best mom i ever could have asked for. and -- honestly, it's going to be tough, but i know we'll get through it as a family. >> singleton was a speech therapist at goose creek high school in suburban charlotte. >>> the anguish in the charleston community are palpable. people are coming together though. chris lawrence is there in charleston and he spoke to several people who said they won't let the shooting divide them. >> well, i woke up this morning and i could feel the pain and the grief in this city. >> it feels like family died. i feel like i'm at an actual funeral. >> tomorrow the city of charleston will hold a memorial at the college of charleston arena. here in our area, you can join those mourning and praying. today at noon a prayer service will be held at the metropolitan ame church. tonight at 7:00, you can join members of the national plaque plaqueplaque black united front

his sanctuary, our sanctuary, that god took his hand and the hands of cynthia heard, reverend sharon singleton, reverend daniel simmons, ethel lance and susie jackson. god took their hands as a reward of a lifetime for service to his glory. i say that mother emanuel was our sanctuary because it is literally the oldest and greatest mother church for christianity as practiced by african-americans in south carolina and throughout the south. moreover, people of all races organization and commemorate and where we relax our souls. senator from berkeley, to listen for god. mother emanuel, yes is a church for all of us and it belongs to all of us. so when evil walks inside our sanctuary and takes a seat, listens to do the word of god and then proceeds to violently violate our refuge one might ask where is god? where is god when people are gathering in his house and then evil massacres in a place where people should feel safe? where is god when in a city rich of history but also steeped in racial division, a coward steps into god's house and in flames racial tension by killing murdering, nine black wor

tywanza sanders hopeded to open a barbershop but died stepping in front of his aunt sharon dau coleman singleton her son now sharing a message for other grieving families. >> i am sorry about what happened. obviously you guys are as deaf stated as we are. but i know for a fact things will get better as time goes on. >> so strong. his baseball team at charleston university coming together in prayer. >> the middleton doctor was a mother of four who sang in the church choir. reverend daniel simmons was a retired pastor from a neighboring church and passed away at the hospital. library was closed in member preof cynthia hurd. she worked at a line bray-- library for years. >> we take the opportunity to come together to pray for one another and to really get to know one another to listen to one another. >> moving forward definitely not easy. three people survived the shooting. one with a chilling message from the gunman. he told her he was sparing her life so she could tell others what happened. a 5-year-old girl, she pretended to be dead. just remarkable. >> thank you so much. the church massacre has

reverend sharon da coleman singleton leaves behind a legacy of giving as a speech therapist, coach and mom of three. the city will change the name of the library where cynthia hurd was a branch manager to honor her memory. and there are similar stories and tributes pouring out now for the other victims of the senseless murders here. >> this hateful person came to this community with some crazy idea he would be able to divide and all he did was make us more united and love each other even more. >> reporter: for many, it is the only way they can find the strength to try and move on with nine pillars of their community gone. let's get back to that court hearing today for dylann roof. he did not plead, didn't get the opportunity. and the judge set the next hearing in this case for late october. that is the very latest here in charleston, south carolina. i'm jay gray. erika back to you. >> jay, thanks so very much. >>> there are many more ways that you can pay tribute to those killed in charleston and show support for their families. we have got a list of vigils in our area in our nbc washi

that today, gathering to say their final good buys to 70-year-old ethel lance and reverend sharon da coleman singletonalina, are they expecting large crowds for th? >> reporter: it seems they r. i'll move away so you can see the scene in front of mother emanuel church. they shut down the road in front of the church a little while ago. the viewing is set to begin in about an hour and a half as this community begins the painful process of saying good-bye to the victims of this massacre. south carolinians lay to rest two of the nine church shooting victims, ethel lance was 70 and enjoying he retiert, she worked at 34 years at charleston's gill yard auditorium. her daughter nadine collier describes her as a strong woman, who worked hard to keep her family together and was devoted to the emanuel ame church. last week collier spoke directly to her mother's killer at his court appearance. >> you took something very precious away from me. i will never talk to her ever again. i will never be able to hold her again, but i forgive you and have mercy on your soul. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: victim sharonda coleman singleto

services for sharon today coleman singleton were held today.al for the other seven victims will take place next week. >> what should be done about the confederate flag in south carolina? that discussion happening right here in philadelphia as well. >> fox 29 weekend's bill anderson sat down with a local business owner who spent years making all kinds of flags and he says he's still going to make the controversial one. >> reporter: backlash from the tragic charleston pass kerr continues with elected officials and citizens exploring ways to try to make sure something like this never happens again. one of the major debates is the confederate flag. it's possible connection to alleged killer dylann roof and whether or not banning it is the appropriate station to promote harmony. several flag manufacturing companies decided to stop making the flag and one of the largest flag manufacturers into philadelphia humphries something so offensive to so many people probably should have stopped being flown a long time. >> i thought it was long time coming. som

that's what she was in life. [ applause ] >> 45-year-old sharon dew coleman singleton was buried thursday. mourners turned out for the first of two visitations for state senator pink key this one in his hometown. >> he grew up with me, because we were like a mother to him. we were like a mentor to him and we are so proud of him because he grew up to be everything we thought and knew that he could be. >> the charleston count council renamed the library where cynthia shrude worked in her honor. a full academic scholarship is announce bed in her name. >> stay with aljazeera america for live coverage of the funeral and president obama's eulogy this afternoon. >> the future of same-sex marriage hangs in the balance at the supreme court. the justices are expected to rule possibly today on whether same sex couples have a constitutional right to marry nationwide. a decision could come today on a lethal injection drug implicated in several botched executions. the case could rule on the clean air act regulations and whether it is too costly. this as reaction pours in over the court's decision to pr

[video clip] >> cynthia hurd, sharon a singleton, meera thompson, the reverend daniel simmons senior susie jackson. would you join me in joining us in a moment of silence? [end video clip] host: a moment of silence including the two sisters from dr. line and members of the black caucus for a moment of silence. the president headed to south carolina on writing. he will be giving the eulogy. this is prompting reflection from obama. many members will be heading down to south carolina or that. here are several headlines from this morning. they say they will stop making can federate why and then you have flag ban gaining grounds. he orders the emblem. also this morning here is from the post carrier out of south carolina. a new flag debate on pearls passion. this calls for his removal. he is the son of the late senator. he decries the racist emblem. this is what paul thurmond had say. this is what he had to say. [video clip] >> it is my understanding that the rivals of the that he was leaving focus on the book of mark. chapter four versus four through eight. this discusses a farmer who was