SC Gov. Haley fights back tears after mass shooting

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) fought back tears as she addressed the mass shooting at a historic African-American church in Charleston, S.C., that left nine dead and a community in mourning Thursday.

“We woke up today, and the heart and soul of South Carolina was broken,” Haley said during a press briefing shortly before noon on Thursday, after the suspected shooter was captured.

Haley toured a nearby Embassy Suites earlier in the morning, The Washington Post’s Robert Costa reported. The hotel served as a gathering area for families of the shooting victims.

{mosads}”We’re seeing love; we’re seeing prayers; we’re seeing humility,” Haley said, referring to the community’s response following the shooting.

Haley, who has served as governor of the Palmetto State since 2011, thanked officials who worked to catch the suspected gunman following a 14-hour manhunt.

Police have taken Dylann Storm Roof, a 21-year-old white man, into custody in relation to the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, a historic black church in Charleston.

The suspect was at the church for a prayer meeting for about an hour before allegedly opening fire, police said.

The Justice Department has opened a hate crime investigation into the shooting. Several federal agencies are working with local authorities on the case.