Officer who got video of Emanuel AME suspect honored by Knights of Columbus

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — The Charleston police officer who spent the first hours after the mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church trying to get surveillance images off the church’s video surveillance system was named Policeman of the Year by the Knights of Columbus on Sunday. Cpl. Rodney Van Horn’s work during June 17 and June 18 led to the release of photos of Dylann Roof, the 21-year-old Columbia man who was eventually arrested in Shelby, North Carolina, and charged with nine counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and more than two dozen federal hate crimes. But the effort, according to a City of Charleston Police Department release, was anything but simple for the 22-year veteran of the force. Van Horn was called to the church late June 17 to recover surveillance footage from the church’s cameras, but because of the system in use at the church, he was unable to use the typical tools in his digital bag. Instead, he had to remove the entire video system and take it to a computer forensics lab to find a way to force the Emanuel system to be compatible with his tools. Police say Van Horn had just recently returned from training the week before on the newly acquired Forensic Video Analysis System. Despite only have a little time to work with the system he was able to find several images and clarify them. These were the first images of the suspect released to the multiple agencies involved in the investigation and the public. From Van Horn’s work, several people were able to identify Roof and his car. “Van Horn used his expertise and newly acquired technology to optimal use on that tragic night. He was a vital contributor to the quick identification and apprehension of this dangerous felon,” the release reads. Van Horn has served in several capacities in his 22 years, but he currently works in the forensic services lab. He is also the only digital examiner within the Charleston Police Department who works on Internet Crime against Children cases. Van Horn has testified in four such cases this year, as well has provided information for investigators on homicides, armed robberies, drug cases, sex assaults, and other crimes. Photo courtesy of WCIV