Charleston church shooting: Recap updates on killings as gunman opens fire

A white gunman killed nine people at a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina

Nine people have been confirmed dead, including the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, a state senator and father of two

The incident has been branded a 'hate crime' by the city police chief

The suspect is described as a 21-year-old white man and is still at large

Eight victims were found dead in the church and a ninth person died after being taken to a hospital

The shooting occurred at the Emanuel AME Church in the historic centre of downtown Charleston at 9pm local time

Nine dead as gunman opens fire

Nine people have been killed after a white gunman entered a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina, and opened fire.

One other person was wounded and taken to a hospital, Chief Gregory Mullen told reporters about four hours after the shooting on last night.

Describing the shooting as a hate crime, Mullen said: "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."

He also said that an all-clear had been sounded after an earlier bomb threat in the area of the church.

Police are still hunting the suspected gunman after the shocking incident at 9pm local time, 1am GMT.

The suspect was described as a 21-year-old white man wearing a sweatshirt, jeans and boots, Charleston police said in a message on Twitter.

A police chaplain was present at the scene of the shooting, and a helicopter with a searchlight hovered overhead as officers combed through the area.

First picture from the scene

Police investigators are seen outside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the oldest AME church in the South.

"We pray for the families, they've got a long road ahead of them," Reverend James Johnson, a local civil rights activist, said during the impromptu prayer service.

Police took a man with a backpack and a camera into custody, but later said they were still searching for a suspect in the shooting, television station WCIV reported.

Church is one of the oldest in the region

The website for the church said it has one of the largest and oldest black congregations in the region.

It was built in 1891 and is considered a historically significant building, according to the National Park Service.

The church is led by the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, who also serves in the state senate, according to the church's website.

Pictures from the scene as community mourns loss

We have more pictures from the scene now following last nights devastating shooing.

Local ministers comfort each other near the site of a mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist (AME) Episcopal Church.

A small prayer circle forms nearby where police are responding to a shooting at the church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Church reverend among the dead

The church reverend is among the nine people killed in the mass shooting, American media reports.

The 41-year-old was married and had two children.

He has been a pastor since he was 18-years-old, dedicating his life to the church.

we will bring you the latest development as the manhunt continues.