Charleston church evacuated for bomb threat during vigil

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Shortly after the end of a vigil at Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston on Thursday afternoon, mourners and media were ordered out of the building.

A Charleston state lawmaker told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was told there was a bomb threat. The church was evacuated and police were moving the crowd away from the building at around 2 p.m.

Fire trucks and police vehicles appeared with their lights flashing on either side of the building. Officers cleared the street in front of the church while the checked for a bomb.

Around 2:15 p.m., police gave an all-clear at the church.

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Aaron Gould Sheinin

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