The shooting that took place earlier tonight in Charleston, South Carolina might have been racially motivated. That’s the position that Charleston’s Chief of Police is taking, stating on live TV “I do believe it was a hate crime.” Support for that claim comes from the fact that parishioners of this specific church are predominantly black, while the suspected assailant is a white male in his early 20’s. Nine people have been confirmed dead in the wake of the incident, including the pastor of the church. Churches are gun free zones in South Carolina, where even concealed carry is forbidden without specific permission from the presiding clergy.