Charleston church shooter hears victim's kin say, 'I forgive you'

CNN)—Dylann Roof heard words of forgiveness from families of some of the nine people he's accused of killing. His response: A blank expression. Wearing a striped inmate jumpsuit, the 21-year-old appeared Friday afternoon by video feed at a bond hearing in Charleston, South Carolina. He stood motionless while listening to the anguished words of relatives of victims he gunned down Wednesday night at a Bible study class at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. "I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you," a daughter of victim Ethel Lance said. "And have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people but God forgives you, and I forgive you." Felicia Sanders -- mother of victim Tywanza Sanders and a survivor of the church shooting -- said that "every fiber in my body hurts, and I will never be the same." "As we said in the Bible study, we enjoyed you," she said of Roof. "But may God have mercy on you." The families got the attention of President Barack Obama. "In the midst of darkest tragedy, the decency and goodness of the American people shines through in these families," Obama tweeted. Charleston victim's relative: I forgive you 00:33 Roof's family speaks for first time Roof's relatives spoke out for the first time in a statement Friday, extending their "deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims." "Words cannot express our shock, grief and disbelief as to what happened that night. We are devastated and saddened by what occurred. We offer our prayers sympathy for all of those impacted by these events," the statement says. It asks for privacy for the Roof family. Roof barely spoke at the hearing, answering the judge's questions about his unemployment with a "yes, sir" and "no, sir." In the video feed, Roof could hear, but not see, people in the courtroom. People in the courtroom could see and hear Roof. Magistrate James B. Gosnell Jr. set bail at $1 million on a weapons possession charge. A circuit judge will hold a bond hearing later on the nine murder charges, but it's unlikely Roof will be allowed to leave jail. The suspect is being held in the North Charleston jail. Authorities didn't want him to appear at the bond hearing in person for security reasons. Roof may be prosecuted by federal authorities if it's determined he committed a hate crime. The Justice Department said "it is looking at this crime from all angles, including as a hate crime and as an act of domestic terrorism." Roof admits he did it, sources say Roof admits he shot and killed the people he'd sat with for Bible study at the historically black church, two law enforcement officials said. He told investigators he did it to start a race war, according to one of the officials.  Charleston church shooting 17 photos EXPAND GALLERY A friend recalled a drunken Roof ranting one night about his unspecified six-month plan "to do something crazy" in order "to start a race war." And the Berkeley County, South Carolina, government tweeted a picture of Roof in a jacket with flags from apartheid-era South Africa and nearby Rhodesia, a former British colony that was ruled by a white minority until it became independent in 1980 and is now known as Zimbabwe. By telling authorities his aim, Roof admitted he attacked unarmed civilians for political purposes in an act of terror. He faces a long legal road ahead, one that could end in his execution if prosecutors seek a death sentence, according to South Carolina law. Gov. Nikki Haley has indicated that's what she wants. News Courtesy: www. cnn.com