Faith, public safety leaders back Dylann Roof loophole bill

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Members of faith and law enforcement communities are voicing support for a bipartisan bill that would make it tougher for someone like Dylann Roof to buy a gun in South Carolina.

Emanuel AME Church pastor Eric Manning told lawmakers Tuesday he supports the measure to extend background checks from three days to five. Mount Pleasant Deputy Police Chief Stan Gragg also told a subcommittee the bill would be a good first step.

Last year, state lawmakers introduced the measure, which would require courts to report guilty verdicts to a state database within 10 days.

A pending drug charge might have prevented Roof from buying the gun he used to kill nine black worshippers at Emanuel AME. But those details didn't turn up in time because of bad state database information.

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Associated Press