Accused Charleston Church Shooter Dylan Roof Assaulted In Jail

Dylan Roof was beaten Thursday by an inmate at a South Carolina jail.

Charleston Church Shooter Dylan Roof Assaulted In Jail

Roof, 22, was accused of massacring nine African American parishioners at the Emanuel AME Church, a historic black church, in Charleston last year. He faces the death penalty for the shooting that left nine dead including Rev. Clementa Pinckney. Roof killed his victims because of their skin color.

Al Cannon Jr., the Charleston County Sheriff, stated that Roof was on his way to take a shower when he was assaulted.

Dwayne Stafford, 25, reportedly ran out of his cell and started punching Roof. Only one guard was present on the floor. Stafford’s cell door was allegedly left unchecked by guards when Roof left his own cell. No weapons involved and Cannon said the scuffle was not serious: The injuries that Roof received are relatively minor — some bruising around the face and the back. It appears he was struck with a fist and nothing more serious than that.”

People took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the assault, as well as the fact that news of Roof getting beat up came on the heels of George Zimmerman getting punched in the face on Sunday.

The racial nature of his alleged crimes is the reason Roof is being kept in protective custody. He’s been charged with 33 federal offenses and has committed hate crimes against people on the basis of their religion and race.