Accused murderer Dylann Roof disgusted law-abiding citizens in the country when he allegedly shot up a church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine black parishioners.
Advertisement
Roof has bruising on his face and back from the incident.
“He was assaulted for no reason”, said Sheriff Cannon.
Inmate Dwayne Stafford ran down the stairs and attacked Roof, 22, he said.
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. – Dylann Roof, accused of the racially motivated massacre previous year at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, was attacked and beaten Thursday by another inmate in a SC jail, authorities said. News reported that Roof sustained bruises to his back and face, but ultimately did not suffer any serious in juries. Eric Watson told The Associated Press. Stafford was jailed in January for a strong armed robbery and first-degree assault and battery.
The sheriff said Roof and his attorney have indicated they do not want to bring charges against Stafford, 26.
On June 17, 2015, Roof attended a prayer service at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Roof could face the death penalty if convicted in upcoming trials in both federal and state courts.
“The detention officer responded quickly and separated the two”, Cannon said. He is escorted out of his cell daily for recreation time and showers. Officers checked cells in the area prior to that to make sure they were locked, he said.
He said that although Roof was always accompanied by detention officers, one officer was dropping off toilet paper, and another was taking a break – an uncommon procedure when an inmate is taking a shower – when the incident occurred. “One of the biggest challenges [for police officers and detention officers] is that we do things day in day out and it becomes routine and sometimes because of that it is easy to become complacent”. An internal investigation is underway. The attacker was a black prisoner, but his motives remain unknown.
“There’s nothing I’m aware of, beyond the obvious speculation we all have given the nature of the situation”, he said. He is also charged in federal court with hate crimes and religious rights violations.
Advertisement
Roof is a known and confessed racist and has even talked about his desire to start a race war.
