charleston
A bomb threat caused the evacuation of a vigil held for victims and family members of a shooting rampage at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17, 2015. Above, police patrolled the neighborhood around the church Thursday. Reuters/Randall Hill

A bomb threat Thursday afternoon disrupted a vigil being held to pray for the nine people who died in the Wednesday-night shooting at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, according to a new report. Those in attendance at the vigil were forced to evacuate the West End Community Development Center in nearby Greenville, South Carolina. Another vigil was scheduled to take place Thursday evening on the Peace Center’s plaza, also in Greenville.

It was unclear who was responsible for the bomb threat, and how and to whom it was delivered.

Prior to the bomb threat, the vigil was packed with attendees mourning those who lost their lives and extending condolences to the victims’ families.

Earlier Thursday, suspected gunman Dylann Storm Roof was taken into police custody and is expected to be formally charged with the shooting rampage at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

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