Dylann Roof charged with nine counts of murder

21-year-old Dylann Roof has been charged with nine counts of murder in connection with an attack on an historic black South Carolina church.

Dylann Roof appeared via video-link before a judge in South Carolina.

He confirmed he was 21 years old and unemployed.

He was arrested yesterday around 200 miles from Charleston.

Relatives of the shooting victims also spoke at the hearing, with one victim’s daughter sobbing as she said: “I forgive you.”

Roof did not react and appeared to show no emotion as the relatives spoke.

Sharonda Singleton was killed in the shooting. Her daughter Karen says the outpouring of support from their community has been "surreal".

"Everyone knew she was just great. I can't say I have the strongest faith right now in God, but I know that I got strong shoulders and strong arms to hug me to make me stronger, and that's what she would want."

The mother of one of those killed, Tywanza Sanders, spoke of her loss during the hearing: "Every fibre in my body hurts and I'll never be the same. Tywanza Sanders was my son, but Tywanza was my hero."

The magistrate judge set a one million dollar bail (€880,000) for a weapons charge, but didn't have the authority to set bail on the nine murder counts that Roof faces.

That will be left up to a circuit judge at a later date.

The judge set the bail with the understanding that Roof would be held until his bail hearing on the murder charges.

Authorities say Roof opened fire at a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church on Wednesday night. He was at the prayer meeting for about an hour before he started shooting.

The Justice Department has said it is investigating the killings from all angles, including whether it could be a hate crime or domestic terrorism.

Agency spokeswoman Emily Pierce said that the “heartbreaking episode was undoubtedly designed to strike fear and terror into this community” and that the investigation is ongoing.

A friend has said Roof had made racist statements in recent weeks, including saying that black people were taking over the country and that something needed to be done for the sake of whites.