Charleston Church Shooter Faces Death Penalty

The Justice Department says it is seeking the death penalty against the Charleston, South Carolina, church shooter.
 
Dylann Roof is awaiting trial for killing nine black parishioners last year during a Bible study at the Emmanuel African-Methodist Episcopal Church. Many of the victim's families expressed overwhelming forgiveness after the June 17 massacre.  

Roof, who has been charged with hate crimes and nine counts of murder, now faces federal execution.

"The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled the decision," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement.
    
Federal executions are rare and the last time a federal defendant was put to death was in 2003.