Several people died when a white man, who is in his early 20s, opened fire during a prayer meeting inside a historic black church in downtown Charleston on Wednesday night. The hate crime took away nine lives, including that of the State senator Clementa Pinckney and the pastor of the Church.

Police Chief Greg Mullen says that the shooter still remains at large but is reluctant to disclose the remaining details.

The shooting took place at the Emanuel AME Church

“We will put all effort, we will put all resources and we will put all of our energy into finding this individual who committed this crime tonight,” Mr. Mullen said. He added that the scene was chaotic when police arrived and that offices thought they had the suspect tracked with a police dog, but he got away.

Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley called the shooting “the most unspeakable and heartbreaking tragedy.”

“The only reason that someone could walk into a church and shoot people praying is out of hate,” Mr. Riley said. “It is the most dastardly act that one could possibly imagine, and we will bring that person to justice.This is one hateful person.”

State House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford told the Associated Press that the state has lost a good senator and his demise was a great loss.

Mr. Pinckney, 41, was a married father of two who was elected to the state house aged 23, making him the youngest member of the House at the time.

“He never had anything bad to say about anybody, even when I thought he should,” Mr. Rutherford said. “He was always out doing work either for his parishioners or his constituents. He touched everybody.”

The attack comes two months after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man, Walter Scott, by a white police officer in neighboring North Charleston, which sparked major protests and highlighted racial tensions in the area.

- Manohar