South Carolina visits Charleston church where 9 were shot

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina women’s basketball team has visited the Charleston church where nine people were killed this past June.

The Gamecocks and coach Dawn Staley were in the city for a preseason retreat and visited the Emanuel AME Church on Sunday. Staley considered it important for her players to see where the tragedy took place.

Dylann Roof, who is white, has been charged with the killing of nine black people at the church who were attending Bible study.

The shooting sparked South Carolina legislators to remove the Confederate flag from Statehouse grounds in July.

South Carolina made the trip to Charleston this weekend on a team-building mission. The Gamecocks held an open practice at Goose Creek High School last Saturday.