Jeb Bush Cancels Charleston Campaign Visit Following Church Shooting

US presidential hopeful Jeb Bush canceled a scheduled appearance in Charleston, South Carolina following a shooting at an African American church.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US presidential hopeful Jeb Bush has cancelled his campaign appearance in Charleston, South Carolina following a shooting at an African American church Wednesday night that left nine people dead, US media reported.

“In the wake of Wednesday’s mass church shooting, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush canceled a scheduled appearance Thursday in Charleston, South Carolina,” Politico reported on Thursday.

Bush had been scheduled to appear at the Charleston Maritime Center as part of his tour to some of the early-primary voting states.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the individuals and families affected by the tragic events in Charleston,” Bush said via Twitter on Thursday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the individuals and families affected by the tragic events in Charleston.

— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) 18 июня 2015

His main contender, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, visited South Carolina on Wednesday and gave a campaign speech introducing a plan to reduce youth unemployment ahead of the fatal shooting.

On Wednesday evening, nine people were killed in a shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the historic South Carolina city. Eight of the victims died in the church, one died later at the hospital, the city police chief said on Wednesday.

Police are still looking for the suspect, a white 21-year-old male. Police believe it was a hate crime.