Detroit Religious Leaders Mourn Victims of Charleston Shooting

More than 50 people met for a prayer vigil for those killed in a shooting in Charleston.

charleston vigil

Detroit religious leaders led a vigil today for the victims of a mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. A man killed nine people during a prayer meeting at a historic black church in Charleston. Detroit councilman André Spivey says the pastor who died was a friend of his.

“We preached together, traveled together. I loved him like a brother. He was bigger than I am and a deeper voice than I have, but he worked hard for South Carolina. He was a leader in getting body cams in the state of South Carolina. He was the youngest black elected official in South Carolina’s history, and so we couldn’t let this time go by without our AME church supporting one of our fallen brothers.”

-André Spivey

Spivey says the two first met almost 20 years ago while preaching at the same African Methodist Episcopal Church. Police say the suspected shooter has been captured.

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