Timing is everything, but the placement of an ad for a gun range on the front page of a Charleston, South Carolina newspaper the morning after nine people died in a mass shooting inside a church, has unsurprisingly been met with criticism.
READ MORE: Dylann Roof arrested in killing of 9 people in black church
The Charleston Post and Courier dedicated its front page to coverage of Wednesday night’s murders of black parishioners at the Emmanuel AME (African Methodist Episcopal) church with the headline “Church attack kills 9” and a photograph of police at the scene searching for the gunman.
But, the print edition of the Post and Courier was delivered to some homes Thursday morning with an advertisement sticker for “Ladies’ Night” at a local gun shop and shooting range.
College of Charleston philosophy professor Jonathan A. Neufeld posted a photograph of the paper on his Twitter account.
The ad was for the A.T.P. Gun Shop & Range, in nearby Summerville, and offered ladies the chance to try their hand at target shooting, with female instructors, extra range passes and a souvenir pink t-shirt for just $30.
“Have you ever wanted to learn to shoot for fun, sport, or self-defense, but felt intimidated by guns or the guys? Then you need to sign up for one of our Ladies’ Night Shoots,” read a post on the gun shop’s website. “You will leave the experience feeling better about your newly acquired knowledge and newfound sense of self-empowerment.”
The Post and Courier apologized for the unfortunately timed ad on the newspaper’s Facebook page.
“The front-page sticky note that was attached to some home delivery newspapers on the same day as this tragedy is a deeply regrettable coincidence. We apologize to those who were offended,” the message read.
Six women and three men were gunned down inside the church Wednesday night, including pastor and state Sen. Clementa Pinckney.
Police arrested suspected gunman Dylann Roof, 21, shortly after 11 a.m. ET Thursday during a traffic stop in Shelby, North Carolina, approximately 400 kilometres northwest of Charleston.
READ MORE: What we know about Charleston church shooting suspect Dylann Roof
Roof’s uncle, Carleston Cowles, told Reuters the 21-year-old’s father recently bought him a .45-calibre handgun for his birthday. It’s unclear at this time what weapon was used in the shooting.
The gunman reportedly told prayer service attendees he came to the church “to shoot black people.”
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