Civil rights organizations issue joint statement on the shooting at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Leading national health, equity and civil rights groups, joining together as America Healing grantees of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, issued the following joint statement in response to the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, that left nine people dead, on June 17, 2015.

On Wednesday night the unspeakable happened in an historic church in Charleston, South Carolina. The resulting death of worshipers practicing their faith, at the hands of a killer intent on instilling fear and terror in the community, deeply grieves and saddens us. We offer our deepest condolences to the victims and their families.

As members of communities who have faced bigotry and who are working to eliminate hate, injustice and violence, we stand in solidarity with the community of Charleston, the Emanuel A.M.E. Church, the Black community and all those who reject hatred and violence. It is important for us to stand with one another now and affirm that an attack against one group is an attack against all and is destructive to our entire nation.

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