Even the most level-headed adults would freeze if faced with a gun-wielding murderer.
But a super smart five-year-old girl managed to survive the Charleston Church shooting by playing dead, suggests a local news station.
[contextly_sidebar id=”X9T5h26i6rYrQ88G6A6EjinynbkQBlFe”]21-year-old Dylann Roof opened fire and killed nine people during a prayer session in the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church – one of the oldest historically black churches in America.
Roof’s uncle Carson Cowels, 56, reported him after he recognised his nephew on the CCTV footage released by police.
He said Roof received a gun as a birthday present for his 21st in April. A.45 calibre pistol. It’s not yet known if it was the same gun used in the attack – which is being investigated as a hate crime.
Relatives of the girl said to have survived the attack told ABC News 4 – a station based in Charleston – that the youngster had dodged the killer by keeping quiet and pretending to be dead.
It’s thought that she’s recovering from the ordeal in the Medical University of South Carolina hospital.
Journalist Rob Mallia, who was reporting from the scene tweeted: ‘Family says 5 year old survived by playing dead. Child resting @MUSChealth @ABCNews4.’
A local newspaper suggests he is currently on bail for drugs charges, while court records say he was charged with trespassing in April.
The gunman apparently sat in a religious meeting for an hour before gunning down members of the congregation.
Among the dead were six women and three men, including Reverend Clementa C Pinckney.
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Source: Metro UK