DHAKA: Nine people have died in a shooting at a historic black church in Charleston in the US state of South Carolina.

City police chief Gregory Mullen said eight of the victims were killed inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Thursday evening, while another person died shortly afterwards.

Police are now searching for a white male suspect in his 20s, reports the BBC.

A meeting was going on at the time of the shooting around 9:00pm local time (01:00 GMT Thursday) at the church on 110 Calhoun Street.

In a tweet, Charleston police wrote, “Suspect in shooting on Calhoun St is a w/m approx 21 slender small build wearing a grey sweat shirt blue jeans timberland boots clean shaven."

Helicopters were seen hovering above the area.

BDST: 1117 HRS, JUNE 18, 2015
BD/