Most definitely a hate crime IMO. Here is a picture taken directly from his facebook page. Note that his jacket bares flags of apartheid-era South Africa.
A witness stated that he stood up before he started shooting and said he was "there to shoot black people," so there's no doubt that this was a hate crime.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
Yes, that is truly another disturbing thing. He was in the Bible study for an hour with them before he stood up and said that so he actually got to know his victims and still went through with it. A very sick person.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
"a 5-year-old child was in the church at the time of the shooting and survived by playing dead"
I can't even begin to process the politics of this shooting. I cannot get beyond that sentence and that one little 5-year-old boy or girl "playing dead."
"Playing."
I pray that child's parents were not killed. I can't find any more details.
^ I freely admit I don't have an inkling of the defense laws of our country when it comes to this topic. It's just a gut reaction to the term 'insanity plea'.
"Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. . ."
I haven't seen anything reported about him at all (except obviously that he's the shooter). I was just looking to see if they had released and statements about him or even spoken to acquaintances but so far nothing.
I'm not saying that people should post his pic, I'm just saying I'm not sure notoriety was his motive.
taz, The cousin of the pastor just released a statement with more detail of what he said before he started shooting according to survivors: You rape our women, and you're taking over our country and you have to go.
This guy had some very deep-rooted racist hatred going on. How in 2015 are people still thinking like this? I can't comprehend it.
Also, on his 21st birthday his father bought him a .45 handgun. Mix hatred and weapons and this is the result you get.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!