The white gunman opened fire in an historic African American place of worship and is still on the run
6:52 am
Jeb Bush offers sympathy
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, canceled an appearance in Charleston that had been scheduled for this morning. "Governor Bush's thoughts and prayers are with the individuals and families affected by this tragedy," his campaign team said in a statement.
Local broadcaster WCSC reported the FBI was on the scene but they could not be reached immediately for comment.
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6:45 am
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.
6:43 am
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.
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Reuters 
6:39 am
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.
6:36 am
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.
6:35 am
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.
More on this developing story as we get it.