Charleston: Disgruntled employee creates hostage situation, shoots one person
A diner in Charleston, South Carolina witnessed dramatic scenes as a disgruntled employee opened fire killing one person; one person was taken hostage, but released shortly. The shooter was reportedly a recently fired dishwasher who took his grudge out on the chef. Speaking to the reporters, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg clarified that this was not an act of terrorism or hate crime.
Charleston church shooting, 2015
Charleston is no stranger to shooting incidents. In 2015, White supremacist Dylann Roof had opened fire at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, killing 9 persons including a state senator. The incident was pivotal in garnering momentum towards removing the confederate flag and monuments.
What transpired?
The gunman entered the restaurant 'Virginia's on King' and shouted "I am the king of Charleston". He then instructed the diners to move to the backside of the building, during that time most of them escaped, except for one who was held hostage for around 2 hours. The police, arrived at the scene, shot the gunman and took him to the hospital.
Not a hate crime or terrorism
"This is not act of terrorism, this is not a hate crime. It's a disgruntled employee who has come on the scene of his employment." noted Mayor Tecklenburg while speaking to reporters.
