Dylann Roof

Dylann Storm Roof is an American mass murderer and white supremacist who perpetrated the 2015 Charleston church shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. He killed nine African American parishioners during a Bible study, an act widely condemned as domestic terrorism. Roof was convicted on 33 federal hate crime counts and sentenced to death in 2017. As of 2026, he remains on federal death row at USP Terre Haute, Indiana, awaiting execution. His crime sparked a national conversation about racism and gun violence, and led to the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House grounds.[edit]

Dylann Storm Roof was born on April 3, 1994, in Columbia, South Carolina, to Franklin Bennett Roof and Amelia Cowles. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was raised primarily by his mother. He had a younger sister. Roof dropped out of high school in the ninth grade but later earned a GED. As a teenager, he was described as quiet and isolated, spending much of his time on the internet. He worked briefly as a landscape contractor for a family-owned business. A pivotal moment before his crime was the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin; Roof later stated that this event, combined with reading about black-on-white crime on websites like the Council of Conservative Citizens, radicalized him into white supremacist ideology.[edit]

Roof's notoriety stems from a single act of domestic terrorism. On June 17, 2015, he attended a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. After nearly an hour, he opened fire, killing nine African American parishioners: Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, and Myra Thompson. One survivor, Felicia Sanders, played dead and later testified. Roof fled but was arrested the next morning in Shelby, North Carolina, after a woman recognized his car. He confessed to the FBI, stating he hoped to start a race war. In December 2016, a federal jury convicted him on all 33 counts, including hate crimes resulting in death. He was sentenced to death in January 2017. To avoid a second death penalty trial in state court, Roof pleaded guilty to 9 counts of murder and received 9 consecutive life sentences without parole. His federal death sentence has been upheld on appeal, and as of 2026 he remains on death row at USP Terre Haute, Indiana.[edit]

Dylann Roof has no positive public image or fandom. He is universally condemned as a domestic terrorist and mass murderer. The media portrays him as a symbol of white supremacist terrorism. His arrest photo, showing him with a bruised face and a cold stare, became iconic. Roof maintained a website with a manifesto expressing racist beliefs, but he has no social media presence. He is often cited in discussions about radicalization and hate crimes. The Charleston community and the nation remember the victims, not the perpetrator.[edit]

Dylann Roof commands a singular, horrific attention that transcends traditional celebrity metrics. There is no fanbase, no organized following, and no group of individuals who rally behind his name with billboards or streaming campaigns. The only 'audience' consists of legal observers, civil rights monitors, and news outlets tracking the grim trajectory of his trials and appeals. His legacy is not built on artistic acclaim or viral joy but on a singular act of domestic terrorism that reshaped American discourse on race and gun violence. While he possesses no fandom rituals, his infamy is quantified by global media coverage and historical record. In August 2026, this notoriety places him at the 34th most famous person in True Crime within the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, a position holding steady from the previous cycle. This ranking reflects a worldwide consensus on his status as a defining symbol of hate crimes, tracked through the sheer volume of media engagement surrounding his case.[edit]

Roof maintained a website called "The Last Rhodesian," a direct reference to the white-minority-ruled state of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He was arrested in Shelby, North Carolina, after a woman recognized his car from news reports and alerted police. The officer who arrested him, Seth Westmoreland, later expressed regret that he hadn't been able to stop the shooting. Roof chose the Emanuel AME Church because it was the most historic black church in the South. He was inspired by other mass shooters, including Anders Breivik. During the shooting, one victim, Tywanza Sanders, pleaded for his life, saying, "I won't tell anyone. Please don't do this." Roof replied, "I have to do it. You rape our women and you're taking over our country." This exchange has become a central, chilling piece of evidence in the legal record. On June 17, 2015, Roof entered the Bible study session and opened fire, killing nine worshippers. His federal sentencing in January 2017 marked a major legal milestone, where he was found guilty on 33 counts and sentenced to death. During his first court appearance, victims' families spoke to him, and Roof responded to their forgiveness by stating, "I forgive you," a moment frequently cited in media coverage of the case.[edit]

Roof's parents are Franklin Bennett Roof and Amelia Cowles, who divorced when he was young. He was raised primarily by his mother in Columbia, South Carolina. He has a younger sister. Roof lived with his mother before the shooting. His family has not publicly commented extensively on his actions. Roof had no known pets or personal household of his own.[edit]

Roof's victims were nine African American parishioners at Emanuel AME Church, including state senator Rev. Clementa Pinckney. His arresting officer was Seth Westmoreland of the Shelby Police Department. Roof was ideologically influenced by Anders Breivik and the Council of Conservative Citizens.[edit]

Dylann Roof has no known public romantic relationships, marriages, children, or dating history. He was a 21-year-old isolated individual at the time of his crime. There are no credible reports of any partners, flings, or engagements. As of 2026, he is single and incarcerated on federal death row.[edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Dylann Roof's net worth is $0. He is a federal inmate with no assets, income, or business ventures. He has no estate, as he is not deceased. All legal costs related to his trials were covered by public defenders and the state.[edit]