Family members of the nine dead Christian church members from the Charleston massacre gave a priceless gift to Dylann Roof at a court hearing on Friday, June 19. 21-year-old Roof, a white male, gunned down six women and three men at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday, June 17.
In exchange for his theft of life, individuals decided to offer him forgiveness and a chance to repent to God for his treachery. As he heard their words, his appearance remained unmoved, stoic, and emotionless.
"I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you," a daughter of Ethel Lance said. "And have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people but God forgives you, and I forgive you."
Like Jesus' teachings in the Bible, these Christian individuals decided to bless their enemy rather than cursing him for murdering some of the most important people in their lives. The relatives urged the killer to repent of his sins so that his soul could be reconciled to God. Roof was charged with nine counts of murder and one count of criminal possession of a firearm in a court session on Friday. Magistrate James B. Gosnell Jr., set bail at $1 million.
"I forgive you, my family forgives you," Anthony Thompson told Roof. "But take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the one that matters the most "” Christ "” so that He can change you and change your ways no matter what happened to you, and you'll be OK. Do that and you'll be better off than you are right now."
The names of the nine victims are Myra Thompson, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Reverend Daniel Simmons, Sr., Tywanza Sanders, Reverend Clementa Pinckney, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Cynthia Hurd, Depayne Middleton Doctor.
