The tragedy in Charleston impacts all people, all people of faith, and all places of worship, including all AME churches.
Reverend Leslie Lovett lives in Lexington, but is the pastor of Mt. Olive AME church in Myrtle Beach. He says he grew close to shooting victim Clementa Pinckney through the church.
“Clementa and I pastored together in the Columbia district, so we’ve got some rather big roots,” said Lovett.
He says the shooting in Charleston is a sad reminder that this kind of incident, can take place anywhere.
“What hurts me more than anything is that someone would come into a place of worship, into a prayer meeting, and do such a thing. It bothers me because Clementa and me were very good friends,” added Lovett.
As news trickled in through the day on Thursday, Reverend Lovett was also surprised to learn he had a connection to the suspected shooter,Dylann Roof.
“The young man went to school with my son,” said Lovett. He says the two were classmates at White Knoll High School in Lexington, and ran in the same circles.
“This young man has visited my house a few times over the years, so that’s why I’m mind boggled right about now,” he said.
Lovett says his son and Roof drifted apart over the years, but was still shocked to learn the young man who had been in his living room, is now a suspected killer.
“I’d never seen nothing like that, I never picked up on any kind of hatred in him and to find that out. Wow. It’s just mind boggling,” said Lovett.
Other local leaders are also trying to come to grips with the tragedy.
“It’s more than I can comprehend, and I’m still beyond reason,” said Mickey James, the president of the Myrtle Beach branch of the NAACP.
He gives his deepest sympathies to the victims and says he’s worried the shooting could worsen racial tensions in the area.
“It only divides, it doesn’t help at all what it does is make more of a division,” so James urges the community to band together, regardless of race.
“We have to work together, to make sure that we protect each other and keep an eye out for each other and be for mindful that this can happen,” he said.
The Myrtle Beach branch of the NAACP and Reverend Lovett will team up to organize a prayer vigil for the victims in Charleston.
Mount Zion AME in Florence has a vigil set for Friday at noon.
