In the warm evening of June 17, 2015, a beloved matriarch, 87-year-old Susan 'Susie' Jackson, attended a Wednesday night Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, a place that was her second home. An African American woman known for her generosity and infectious smile, Susie was a dedicated and longtime member of the church, serving on the trustee board, the usher board, and singing in the choir.
Her life, filled with love for her family and community, was tragically cut short that evening in an act of hate-filled violence.
A young white supremacist named Dylann Roof had entered the historic church and sat with the small group gathered for their weekly study. After an hour, he opened fire, killing nine people, including Susie Jackson, who was the oldest victim. The attack was a meticulously planned hate crime intended to incite a race war. The devastating loss was felt deeply by her family, including her son and grandchildren whom she had visited in Cleveland just two weeks prior.
The aftermath of the horrific shooting saw a swift law enforcement response. Dylann Roof was identified as the suspect and a manhunt ensued. He was captured the following morning in Shelby, North Carolina, after a citizen recognized his vehicle from media reports. Roof was extradited back to South Carolina to face charges.
Dylann Roof was charged with nine counts of murder, among other federal and state charges. His trial revealed the depth of his racist motivations, which he had detailed in a manifesto. In court, survivors and family members of the victims, including relatives of Susie Jackson, delivered powerful statements of forgiveness, even as they grappled with their immense grief. Roof was convicted on all federal charges and, in January 2017, was sentenced to death. He later pleaded guilty to the state murder charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
