The Best Places For Updates About The Shooting At Emanuel AME Church In Charleston

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On Wednesday evening, a young white gunman—since identified by city and federal law enforcement officials as 21-year-old Dyllann Storm Roof—opened fire during a weekly prayer meeting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, killing six women and two men. Among them was Reverend Clementa Pickney, 41, the church’s senior pastor and a state senator. Although Roof's exact motives are not yet known, according to one of the survivors, he said, “You rape our women, and you’re taking over our country, and you have to go,” before opening fire. The Charleston police chief, Greg Mullen, has called the attack a hate crime.

As the story continues to unfold, here are a few tips on following the news from reliable sources, and ways you can help.

Here Are the Best Places to Follow Along:

The Post and Courier (@postandcourier), Charleston's "oldest, largest, and best news source"

BREAKING: @CharlestonPD releases images of #CharlestonShooting suspect, vehicle. #chsnews pic.twitter.com/kf0oJHzy78
— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) June 18, 2015

Andrew Knapp (@offlede), crime reporter for The Post and Courier

Facebook page photo of suspect Dylann Roof, 21, and surveillance image. #CharlestonShooting pic.twitter.com/In5AjlzCRp
— Andrew Knapp (@offlede) June 18, 2015

Cynthia Roldan (@CynthiaRoldan), State House reporter for The Post and Courier

A man inside #DylannRoof's home declined to speak, adding we should get off his property before he called deputies. pic.twitter.com/oolwWHdelc
— Cynthia Roldan (@CynthiaRoldan) June 18, 2015

Nick Corasaniti (@NYTnickc), NYT Washington Bureau reporter who's on the ground in Charleston

Police barricades outside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 9:25 A.M. #CharlestionShooting pic.twitter.com/nU7QG5I9Qq
— Nick Corasaniti (@NYTnickc) June 18, 2015

Jason Horowitz (@jasondhorowitz), NYT political features writer who has also been reporting from Charleston

On scene at shooting in Charleston, officials talk of "heartbreak" as they hunt for shooter http://t.co/xbzHGqqqMY pic.twitter.com/incPpOvVIm
— Jason Horowitz (@jasondhorowitz) June 18, 2015

Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei), political writer for the Miami Herald who is in Charleston

Vigil at Morris Brown AME Church for victims of shooting at Emanuel AME Church. This looks like overflow crowd. pic.twitter.com/AVPRsZlUpZ
— Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei) June 18, 2015

Rajini Vaidyanathan (@rajiniv), BBC correspondent who has been Periscoping from Charleston

Police cordon outside church where shooting happened. #AMEShooting #CharlestonShooting #Charleston pic.twitter.com/3vzhrbdjD9
— Rajini Vaidyanathan (@rajiniv) June 18, 2015

Craig Melvin (@CraigMelvin), MSNBC reporter and native South Carolinian

21 yo suspect has been caught in Shelby, NC. Is in custody. More dets to come. #CharlestonChurchShooting #PrayersForCharleson
— Craig Melvin (@craigmelvin) June 18, 2015

Will Whitson (@WillWhitsonWIS), state reporter for Raycom Media, covering politics in South Carolina

Flowers have now been added to Sen. Pinckney's seat. @wis10 #sctweets pic.twitter.com/ut5doqxnCx
— Will Whitson WIS (@WillWhitsonWIS) June 18, 2015

Hannah Moseley (@HannahLive5), reporter with Charleston's Live News 5

"We shall overcome!" pic.twitter.com/67r6d5kVYT
— Hannah Moseley (@HannahLive5) June 18, 2015

Brian Ries (@moneyries), Mashable's real-time news editor who is good with retweets

Obama: That #CharlestonShooting took place in a black church "raises questions about a dark part of our history." pic.twitter.com/xcSyssrx54
— Brian Ries (@moneyries) June 18, 2015

Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie), Slate writer who has been chiming in with helpful historical context

Why was Emanuel AME targeted? Because it's a symbol of black community and black resistance. http://t.co/84HNittgsX pic.twitter.com/xjeQuvinBD
— Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) June 18, 2015

Deray McKesson (@deray), activist and organizer

POWERFUL VIDEO: Rev. Clementa Pinckney discussing Walter Scott on the S.C. Senate floor http://t.co/Cv5ur3CXpS #CharlestonShooting
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 18, 2015

Shaun King (@ShaunKing), activist and organizer

The beautiful, painful 200 year history of resistance & leadership of Emanuel AME Church. http://t.co/af3thwI6my pic.twitter.com/MJrtSFfmgF
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) June 18, 2015

The hashtag #PrayForCharleston

Praying for the Mother Emanuel AME Church family, victims, families; our city, state and nation as we face this difficult time. There's no sleep in my eyes; for my heart is aching and the tears are flowing. Through it all God is still on the throne! #PrayForMotherEmanuel #PrayForCharleston #AMEChurch #LordWeNeedYou

A photo posted by Mr. Tru Unique (@mrtruunique) on Jun 17, 2015 at 11:00pm PDT

People in Charleston, across the country, and around the world waking up to this tragic news have begun to share shock and alarm on social media, often using the collective hashtag #PrayForCharleston. There were nearly 30,000 posts using the hashtag on on Instagram as of this morning.

Here's Where You Can Donate Money to Help:

The city has also set up a fund

Mother Emanuel Hope Fund established by city with $5,000 donation. #CharlestonShooting
— Andrew Knapp (@offlede) June 18, 2015

People can donate to fund at Wells Fargo location and by mail to P.O. Box 304, Charleston, SC 29402. #CharlestonShooting
— Andrew Knapp (@offlede) June 18, 2015