Tim Scott chokes up on Senate floor remembering shooting victims

By Ted Barrett, CNN
Updated 2:52 PM EDT, Thu June 25, 2015
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(CNN) —  

Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, teared up while delivering an emotional speech on the events in his home state on Wednesday.

Nine African-American church parishioners were murdered by 21-year-old Dylann Roof, who is white, last week at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.

Scott, the only African-American Senator elected in the South since Reconstruction, said the son of one of the victims told him in a phone conversation moments before that despite the shootings, “God cares for this people. God still lives.”

And the victims’ son then said with enthusiasm that “this evil attack would lead to reconciliation, restoration, and unity in the nation.”

RELATED: Confederate flag debate sweeps the South

That remark cause Scott to pause for about 30 seconds and fight back tears before resuming.

Scott and other South Carolina lawmakers, led by Republican Gov. Nikki Haley, have unified in their support for removing the Confederate flag from the state’s capitol grounds in Columbia. The move was prompted by photos of Roof posing with Confederate flags in pictures on social media. Companies such as Walmart, Amazon and eBay have also stopped selling merchandise featuring the flag as a result of the shooting.

Thousands of people march on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday, June 21. People crossed the bridge, which spans the Cooper River, from Mount Pleasant to Charleston, joining hands in a unity chain to mourn the Emanuel AME Church shooting. Police arrested Dylann Storm Roof in the slayings of nine people at a prayer meeting at the church.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images
Thousands of people march on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday, June 21. People crossed the bridge, which spans the Cooper River, from Mount Pleasant to Charleston, joining hands in a unity chain to mourn the Emanuel AME Church shooting. Police arrested Dylann Storm Roof in the slayings of nine people at a prayer meeting at the church.
Protesters stand on the South Carolina State House steps during a rally to take down the Confederate flag, on Saturday, June 20, in Columbia.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Rainier Ehrhardt/AP
Protesters stand on the South Carolina State House steps during a rally to take down the Confederate flag, on Saturday, June 20, in Columbia.
Louise Brown walks down King Street during a "Black Lives Matter" march on June 20 in Charleston, South Carolina.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Stephen B. Morton/AP
Louise Brown walks down King Street during a "Black Lives Matter" march on June 20 in Charleston, South Carolina.
The men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity lead a prayer outside Emanuel AME Church, Friday, June 19.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Stephen B. Morton/AP
The men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity lead a prayer outside Emanuel AME Church, Friday, June 19.
Young people grieve outside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 19.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images
Young people grieve outside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 19.
Parishioners applaud during a memorial service on Thursday, June 18, at Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
Parishioners applaud during a memorial service on Thursday, June 18, at Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
Olina Ortega, left, and Austin Gibbs light candles at a sidewalk memorial in front of Emanuel AME Church on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
Olina Ortega, left, and Austin Gibbs light candles at a sidewalk memorial in front of Emanuel AME Church on June 18.
The Rev. Jeannie Smalls becomes emotional during a prayer vigil held at Morris Brown AME Church on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Grace Beahm/The Post And Courier/AP
The Rev. Jeannie Smalls becomes emotional during a prayer vigil held at Morris Brown AME Church on June 18.
A woman places flowers outside the church on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Kevin Liles/UPI/LANDOV
A woman places flowers outside the church on June 18.
Mourners gather for a community prayer service at Second Presbyterian Church in Charleston on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Mourners gather for a community prayer service at Second Presbyterian Church in Charleston on June 18.
Walter Jackson, the son of Susie Jackson who died in the church shooting, recalls stories about his mother with his niece Cynthia Taylor at Jackson's home in Charleston on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
Walter Jackson, the son of Susie Jackson who died in the church shooting, recalls stories about his mother with his niece Cynthia Taylor at Jackson's home in Charleston on June 18.
The Rev. Al Sharpton wipes away a tear after praying outside the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Allen G. Breed/AP
The Rev. Al Sharpton wipes away a tear after praying outside the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston on June 18.
People sit on the steps of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston while services are held June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
People sit on the steps of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston while services are held June 18.
A woman wipes her eyes at a makeshift memorial near the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Stephen B. Morton/AP
A woman wipes her eyes at a makeshift memorial near the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston on June 18.
The Rev. Keith McDaniel, pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, is surrounded by others in prayer on June 18 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Tim Kimzey/The Spartanburg Herald-Journal/AP
The Rev. Keith McDaniel, pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, is surrounded by others in prayer on June 18 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Tyler Francis, right, hugs Shondrey Dear after praying together June 18 at a makeshift memorial near the Emanuel AME Church.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Stephen B. Morton/AP
Tyler Francis, right, hugs Shondrey Dear after praying together June 18 at a makeshift memorial near the Emanuel AME Church.
A group of women prays together at a makeshift memorial on the sidewalk in front of the Emanuel AME Church on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Stephen B. Morton/AP
A group of women prays together at a makeshift memorial on the sidewalk in front of the Emanuel AME Church on June 18.
President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, pauses while speaking in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, June 18, on the church shooting in Charleston.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Susan Walsh/AP
President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, pauses while speaking in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, June 18, on the church shooting in Charleston.
Members of the U.S. Congress gather in front of the Capitol Building in Washington on June 18, during a moment of silence for the nine killed in a church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
Members of the U.S. Congress gather in front of the Capitol Building in Washington on June 18, during a moment of silence for the nine killed in a church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.
South Carolina state Sen. Vincent Sheheen gets emotional on June 18 as he sits next to the draped desk of Sen. Clementa Pinckney at the statehouse in Columbia, South Carolina. Pinckney was one of the nine people killed in the church shooting.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Rainier Ehrhardt/AP
South Carolina state Sen. Vincent Sheheen gets emotional on June 18 as he sits next to the draped desk of Sen. Clementa Pinckney at the statehouse in Columbia, South Carolina. Pinckney was one of the nine people killed in the church shooting.
Charleston resident Noah Nicolaisen kneels at a makeshift memorial down the street from the church on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
Charleston resident Noah Nicolaisen kneels at a makeshift memorial down the street from the church on June 18.
Kim Hamby prays with her daughter Kayla as they lay flowers at a makeshift memorial in Charleston on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
Kim Hamby prays with her daughter Kayla as they lay flowers at a makeshift memorial in Charleston on June 18.
A man leans against a light pole as he visits a memorial in Charleston on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
A man leans against a light pole as he visits a memorial in Charleston on June 18.
Chaplain James St. John leads senators in prayer June 18 at the statehouse in Columbia.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: Rainier Ehrhardt/AP
Chaplain James St. John leads senators in prayer June 18 at the statehouse in Columbia.
Sandra Bridges lays a card at a memorial on June 18.
Photos: Reactions to Charleston church shooting
PHOTO: David Goldman/AP
Sandra Bridges lays a card at a memorial on June 18.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, spoke after Scott on the Senate floor. He praised his colleague for his handling of the Charleston situation and thanked the Senate family for his support.

He then made this comment about the shooter, who spent an hour in Bible study with his victims before shoorting them.

“I don’t know how you can sit with somebody for an hour in a church and then get up and shoot them. That’s Mideast hate,” said Graham, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination. “That’s something I didn’t think we had here, but apparently we do.”

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this piece misstated that Scott is the only African-American Senator.