National

Friend Says Church Shooting Suspect Ranted About Race

Published

11 years ago

June 19, 2015

Dylann Roof, 21, pictured here, wearing a jacket with the flags of the former white-racist regimes of South Africa and Rhodesia. (Dylann Roof/Facebook)

MITCH WEISS, Associated Press
MEG KINNARD, Associated Press
JACOB JORDAN, Associated Press

LEXINGTON, South Carolina (AP) — In recent weeks, Dylann Storm Roof reconnected with a childhood buddy he hadn’t seen in five years and started railing about the Trayvon Martin case, about black people “taking over the world” and about the need for someone to do something about it for the sake of “the white race,” the friend said.

On Thursday, Roof, 21, was arrested in the shooting deaths of nine people during a prayer meeting at a historic black church in Charleston — an attack decried by stunned community leaders and politicians as a hate crime.

In the hours after the Wednesday night bloodbath, a portrait began to take shape of Roof as someone with racist views and at least two recent run-ins with the law. On his Facebook page, the young white man wore a jacket with the flags of the former white-racist regimes of South Africa and Rhodesia.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Joseph Meek Jr. said he and Roof had been best friends in middle school but lost touch when Roof moved away about five years ago. The two reconnected a few weeks ago after Roof reached out to Meek on Facebook, Meek said.

Roof never talked about race years ago when they were friends, but recently made remarks out of the blue about the killing of unarmed black 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida and the riots in Baltimore over the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, Meek said.

“He said blacks were taking over the world. Someone needed to do something about it for the white race,” Meek said, adding that the friends were getting drunk on vodka. “He said he wanted segregation between whites and blacks. I said, ‘That’s not the way it should be.’ But he kept talking about it.”

Meeks said Roof also told him that he had used birthday money from his parents to buy a gun and that he had “a plan.” He didn’t elaborate on what it was, but Meeks said he was worried — and said he knew Roof had the “Glock” — a .45 caliber pistol — in the trunk of his car.

Meek said he took the gun from the trunk of Roof’s car and hid it in his house, just in case.

“I didn’t think he would do anything,” he said.

But the next day, when Roof was sober, he gave it back.

Meek said that when he woke up Wednesday morning, Roof was at his house, sleeping in his car outside. Later that day, Roof dropped Meek off at a lake with his brother Jacob, but Roof hated the outdoors and decided he would rather go see a movie.

Jacob said that when he got in the car, Roof told him he should be careful moving his backpack in the car because of the “magazines.”

Jacob said he thought Roof was referring to periodicals, not the devices that store ammunition.

“Now it all makes sense,” he said.

Joseph Meek said he didn’t see his friend again until a surveillance-camera image of a young man with a soup-bowl haircut was broadcast on television Thursday morning in the wake of the shooting. Meek said he didn’t think twice about calling authorities.

“I didn’t THINK it was him. I KNEW it was him,” he said.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights group that tracks hate organizations and extremists, said it was not aware of Roof before the rampage. And some other friends interviewed said they did not know him to be racist.

“I never thought he’d do something like this,” said high school friend Antonio Metze, 19, who is black. “He had black friends.”

Roof used to skateboard while growing up in the Lexington area and had long hair back then. He attended high school in Lexington and in nearby Columbia from 2008 to 2010, school officials said. It was not immediately clear whether he graduated.

“He was pretty smart,” Metze said.

Meek’s mother, Kimberly Konzny, said she and her son instantly recognized Roof in the surveillance camera image because Roof had the same stained sweatshirt he wore while playing Xbox video games in their home recently. It was stained because he had worked at a landscaping and pest control business, she said.

“I don’t know what was going through his head,” she said. “He was a really sweet kid. He was quiet. He only had a few friends.”

State court records for Roof as an adult show a misdemeanor drug case from March that was pending against him and a misdemeanor trespassing charge from April. Authorities had no immediate details. As for any earlier offenses, juvenile records are generally sealed in South Carolina.

Court records list no attorney for him.

Meek said Roof’s mother and her boyfriend live in Lexington, and his father lives in Columbia.

Roof displayed a Confederate flag on his license plate, according to Konzny, but that is not unusual in the South.

His Facebook profile picture showed him wearing a jacket with a green-and-white flag patch, the emblem of white-ruled Rhodesia, the African country that became Zimbabwe in 1980. Another patch showed the South African flag from the era of white minority rule that ended in the 1990s.

In Montgomery, Alabama, the president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Richard Cohen, said it is unclear whether Roof had any connection to any of the 16 white supremacist organizations the SPLC has identified as operating in South Carolina.

But Cohen said that based on Roof’s Facebook page, he appeared to be a “disaffected white supremacist.”

In a statement, Cohen said the church attack is a reminder that while the post-Sept. 11 U.S. is focused on jihadi terrorism, the threat of homegrown extremism is “very real.” Since 2000, the SPLC has seen an increase in the number of hate groups in the U.S., Cohen said.

“The increase has been driven by a backlash to the country’s increasing racial diversity, an increase symbolized for many by the presence of an African American in the White House,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Jay Reeves in Alabama contributed to this story.

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Preventing Amputation: A Doctor’s Guide for Diabetes Patients

POST NEWS GROUP — Amputation is usually the final stage of diabetic foot disease. Earlier signs often involve nerve damage. Some people experience numbness, tingling, burning, or loss of sensation in their feet.

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2 days ago

July 12, 2026

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For many diabetes patients, amputation becomes a last-resort measure after infections, ulcers, or poor circulation worsen rapidly and leave few other treatment options.

But according to Dr. Estelle Everett, a physician and researcher specializing in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), most diabetes-related amputations can be prevented through early intervention, consistent medical care, and patient education.

For Everett, her commitment to diabetes prevention is deeply personal. Watching her younger sister navigate Type 1 diabetes exposed her early to the challenges many patients face, including barriers to advanced diabetes technologies such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps due to racial disparities in patient care.

Those experiences helped shape her focus on prevention, education, and equitable access to care.

Dr. Everett spoke with California Black Media (CBM) about the warning signs of diabetic complications, prevention strategies, healthcare access, and the role of diabetes technology in improving outcomes.

What are some of the early warning signs that a person with diabetes may be developing circulation and nerve problems that could potentially lead to amputation?

Amputation is usually the final stage of diabetic foot disease. Earlier signs often involve nerve damage. Some people experience numbness, tingling, burning, or loss of sensation in their feet.

Poor circulation is another warning sign. Symptoms can include calf pain while walking, foot pain at rest, cold feet, skin color changes, or wounds that do not heal properly. Foot ulcers, thick calluses, and untreated cuts can also become serious infections that may eventually lead to amputation if they are not treated early.

Before complications reach that stage, what are some early signs of diabetes itself that people should be looking out for?

Many people are walking around with diabetes and do not even realize it. Some patients first seek medical care only after they’ve already developed complications because they’ve had diabetes for years without knowing it.

That’s why routine screenings are so important. If you have diabetes, controlling it early can significantly reduce the risk of severe complications later on.

Many Black Californians harbor a degree of distrust in the healthcare system. What message would you send to encourage people to get regular checkups?

Distrust is real, and there are many reasons people may avoid healthcare. Some fear discrimination or worry they’ll simply be judged instead of helped.

Personally, I realized some of the care my sister received may have been influenced by racial bias. Although she had diabetes for years, she was never offered diabetes technology like insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitors. When she finally asked about them, she was told she had to jump through many hoops.

Later, I realized her experience wasn’t unique. Research shows that minority patients and people from lower-income backgrounds are less likely to be offered diabetes technology. That inspired me to focus my research on improving access for the populations that need these tools the most.

I think building trust is important. Finding the right doctor is almost like dating. If you don’t feel comfortable with your provider, it may help to find someone you connect with and feel understands your concerns. That relationship can make a major difference in getting consistent care.

Are there newer technologies or innovations in diabetes care that people should know about?

One of the biggest advances has been continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs. These small wearable devices track blood sugar levels in real time and have really changed diabetes care over the past decade.

For providers, CGMs give a much clearer picture of blood sugar patterns throughout the day. For patients, they provide immediate feedback about how food, exercise, and other daily habits affect blood sugar levels.

Someone may notice that certain foods cause major spikes while certain exercises lower their blood sugar. That real-time information helps people make healthier decisions and improve blood sugar control. Research shows these technologies can significantly improve outcomes.

What daily habits or preventative measures can reduce the risk of complications or even amputation?

The biggest thing is controlling your diabetes. A lot of people automatically think diabetes will lead to amputations, but research shows the risk is much lower when diabetes is well managed.

That means taking medications as prescribed, making dietary changes, and working to keep your A1C below 7. Managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol is also important because both contribute to circulation problems.

People should also inspect their feet every day, especially if they’ve already lost sensation. Some patients injure their feet without realizing it because they can’t feel the damage. Catching wounds early is critical. Good foot hygiene also plays a major role in prevention.

Are there any common misconceptions about diabetes that stand out to you in your clinical work with Black patients?

One major misconception is that diabetes medications cause complications like kidney failure or amputations. In reality, poorly controlled diabetes causes those complications — not the medications used to treat it.

Those misconceptions sometimes cause patients to avoid medications or stop taking them altogether. Another issue is that some people believe diet and exercise alone should always control diabetes. While lifestyle changes are important, some patients have severe diabetes that also requires medication.

Needing medication is not a personal failure. Sometimes diet and exercise alone are simply not enough, and medication is necessary to prevent serious complications.

This article is supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF). Visit www.chcf.org

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IN MEMORIAM: A Queen Mother’s Journey Home

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — She opened doors for those to come with wisdom, strength, and grace,
She challenged wrong, uplifted youth, and quickened justice’s pace.
Her scholarship and generous heart shall bloom through future years,
Transforming dreams to living hope beyond our grief and tears.

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A Memorial Tribute to Rosetta Miller-Perry, July 7, 1934 – June 26, 2026

From truth’s bright flame she lit the way, so bold and wise each day,
Her fearless voice inspired us all and never lost its sway.
A Queen Mother crowned by faith, whose love would never cease,
She sowed the seeds of justice well and harvested God’s peace.

She marched where freedom’s banners waved and answered duty’s call,
She stood with King through history’s storms, courageous through them all.
With pen and press she raised our voice for every soul unheard,
She proved that hope is strongest still when carried by the Word.

The Tennessee Tribune became a beacon shining bright,
Its pages told our stories true and championed the right.
She taught that Black lives, dreams, and truths deserved the highest place,
And every headline proudly bore the beauty of our race.

She opened doors for those to come with wisdom, strength, and grace,
She challenged wrong, uplifted youth, and quickened justice’s pace.
Her scholarship and generous heart shall bloom through future years,
Transforming dreams to living hope beyond our grief and tears.

Now Heaven’s presses joyfully proclaim her work complete,
As angels sing and saints arise our Queen Mother to greet.
Though earth now mourns her gentle voice, her light will never pass,
For Rosetta lives forevermore in truth, in love, and in the Black Press.

May Rosetta Miller-Perry’s memory continue to inspire all who believe in truth, justice, freedom, and the enduring mission of the Black Press of America. May her legacy remain a guiding light for generations to come.