The FBI has officially become involved in the search for a man who opened fire during a prayer meeting at a historic black church in downtown Charleston, S.C. and killed nine people Wednesday night, including the pastor.

The act, which is being classified as a hate crime, saw six female worshipers and three males die, though names are largely not being released after families are notified. However, it has been reported that the Emanuel AME Church's pastor, State Senator Clementa Pinckney was among those who were killed in the shooting.

The suspect was described as a white man in his early 20s.

One of Pinckney's cousins told NBC News that she spoke with one of the survivors from the shooting, who told her that the suspect opened fire because of crimes he believed could be blamed on those inside the church.

"I have to do it. You rape our women and you're taking over our country. And you have to go," the shooter reportedly said.

The attack comes just two months after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man, Walter Scott, by a white police officer in North Charleston, which sparked protests. The officer in that crime has been charged with murder.

In a statement, NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks condemned the shooting, saying, "The NAACP was founded to fight against racial hatred, and we are outraged that 106 years later, we are faced today with another mass hate crime. Our heartfelt prayers and soul-deep condolences go out to the families and community of the victims at Charleston's historic Emanuel AME Church. The senselessly slain parishioners were in a church for a Wednesday night bible study. There is no greater coward than a criminal who enters a house of God and slaughters innocent people engaged in the study of scripture. Today, I mourn as an AME minister, as a student and as a teacher of scripture, as well as a member of the NAACP."

UPDATE 10:30 AM: According to reports, the shooter has been identified as 21-year-old Dylann Storm Roof of the Columbia, S.C. area. He is believed to be driving a black Hyundai Elantra with South Carolina tag LGF-330.

UPDATE 11:15 AM: Roof was last seen wearing a grey pullover shirt and white undershirt with black pants, with his hair styled in a bowl cut. He has previously been arrested on drug and trespassing charges. He was reportedly given a .45 caliber gun as a birthday gift.

UPDATE 11:45 A.M.: Roof was arrested outside of Shelby, N.C. after tips from the public led police to detain him at Interstate 74 and Plato Lee Road. The arrest was confirmed by the FBI.