Published on 11:38 AM, June 25, 2015

First funerals to be held for Charleston victims

Photographs of the nine victims killed at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina are held up by congregants during a prayer vigil at the the Metropolitan AME Church June 19, 2015 in Washington, DC. Earlier today the suspect in the case, Dylan Storm Roof, was charged with nine counts of murder. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP
BBC Online

The first of the funerals for victims of the Charleston church shooting will be held on Thursday in the South Carolina city.

The services for Ethel Lee Lance and Sharonda Coleman-Singleton will both take place after viewings at Baptist churches in North Charleston.

Lance, 70, worked for the church for 30 years and was a mother of five.

Coleman-Singleton, 45, was a speech therapist, pastor and high school track coach, as well as a mother of three.

Their funerals will be the first two of nine, with five more to take place on Friday and Saturday. The families of two of those who died have not yet released details.

Candles burn in memory of the nine victims of last week's shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a memorial service organized by students from the University of South Carolina and South Carolina State University on the grounds of the South Carolina State House June 23, 2015 in Columbia, South Carolina. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP

On Friday, President Barack Obama will give the eulogy at a service for Rev Clementa Pinckney, 41, who was the pastor at the Emanuel AME church. Vice-President Joe Biden will also attend the service.

Both Obama and  Biden were friends of Pinckney, who was also a state senator in South Carolina.

His remains were taken to South Carolina's State House in Columbia on Wednesday, where his coffin will lie in state until Friday's service.

Footage emerged on Tuesday of suspect Dylann Roof being arrested by police officers in Charleston. He appeared to surrender without incident.

Left to right top: Cynthia Hurd, Clementa Pinckney, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Tywanza Sanders. Left to right bottom: Ethel Lance, Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Susie Jackson, Daniel Simmons Sr. Photo taken from BBC.

Roof has been charged with the murder of those who died at the Emanuel AME church.

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