Nation & World News

Breakdown: How Charleston shooting suspect was caught

June 18, 2015

Police escorted Dylann Roof from police headquarters to the Cleveland County Courthouse Thursday afternoon for his first appearance.

Roof waived extradition, an attorney told Channel 9. It is unclear when he will return to Charleston.

The appearance was closed to everyone but law enforcement officials.

Roof is accused of walking into the Emanuel AME Church and opening fire during Bible study Wednesday night.

Nine people were killed. The shooting happened around 9 p.m. Police said Roof told one of the three survivors he let her live so she could tell others what he did.

Details on Roof's arrest

Investigators said they were able to close in on Roof’s whereabouts after he used his debit card at a gas station at around 5:45 a.m. Thursday in south Charlotte.
Officials said Roof stopped at the Shell Gas Station off Interstate 486 near Providence Road before 6 a.m. The gas station sits next to the popular Promenade Shopping Center.

The clerk who waited on Roof was stunned when Channel 9 talked to her. She said she did not recognize Roof because she had not heard the news about the shootings in Charleston. The clerk said he was polite as he bought a bag of chips and a drink. He then left the store.

The FBI saw the activity on Roof’s debit card and came to the store after 8 a.m. to pick up surveillance video. There was a surveillance camera on the inside and outside of the store.
Debbie Dills spotted Roof's car on her way to work Thursday morning. She works for Frady's Florist and Gifts in Kings Mountain.
When Dills got to work she told her boss, Todd Frady, that she spotted the vehicle.
Fray called a friend with the Kings Mountain Police Department. Dills went back outside, followed the car and obtained the license plate number.

The Shelby Police Department received a call from the Kings Mountain Police Department at 10:32 a.m. that a business had contacted them of a possible sighting.

At 10:43 a.m., officers spotted Roof's vehicle on Dixon Boulevard. He was pulled over at 10:44 a.m. Roof was the only person in the car. He was taken into custody at 10:49 a.m. and taken to the Shelby Police Department.



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