Tennessee church shooting suspect noted visions and voices

Police say that Emanuel Kidega Simon, the 25-year-old bodybuilder who has been charged with murder in connection with a shooting rampage at a Tennessee church, spoke of hearing voices and having visons

The man accused of fatally shooting a woman and wounding six other people at a Tennessee church last month told police he heard voices and had visions, including an image of that particular church, a detective testified in court Monday.

Emanuel Kidega Samson, 25, would not say much else about his vision of Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, when pressed by police during an interview, Nashville Police Detective Steve Jolley said.

‘He was just very vague and he didn’t really elaborate on anything,’ Jolley said at a hearing in Davidson County General Sessions Court.

A judge sent Samson’s case to a grand jury Monday. Samson did not appear for the hearing.

Jolley also acknowledged that a note found in Samson’s car made reference to a white supremacist’s 2015 massacre at a South Carolina black church, a detail that The Associated Press first reported.

The note found on the dashboard read something like, ‘Dylann Roof was less than nothing,’ Jolley said.

Robert Engle is pictured testifying during a preliminary hearing for Samson. Engle, 22, has been hailed as a hero for helping to stop the attack

Robert Engle is pictured testifying during a preliminary hearing for Samson. Engle, 22, has been hailed as a hero for helping to stop the attack

Judge Allegra Walker is pictured listening to testimony during Samson's hearing. Samson is being held without bond

Judge Allegra Walker is pictured listening to testimony during Samson’s hearing. Samson is being held without bond

‘It was really kind of just vague,’ Jolley said.

All of the victims in Nashville were white, but it is still not clear whether Samson, who is black, specifically targeted them based on their race.

Jolley said Samson downplayed the role of race to detectives.

‘I asked him specifically and he said that he didn’t give much thought to race,’ Jolley said. ‘I think he also said the same thing about religion. So he didn’t indicate to me any particular thing for motivation.’

Samson said nothing in the interview about the fact that he had attended the church previously, only commenting that he might have delivered pizzas there, Jolley said. 

Samson also told Jolley he was just tired of driving on the day of the shooting, the detective added.

Though he was otherwise mostly stoic, Samson broke down in tears at one point when another detective asked him about hurt and pain, according to the detective.

Samson said he remembered shooting outside the church, but did not recall shooting inside and wasn’t shooting at anyone in particular, Jolley said.

Samson is charged with murder in the September 24 attack at the Nashville church.

Jonathan Wing, left, Kristin Neff, right, defense attorneys for Emanuel Kidega Samson, are pictured listening to testimony

Jonathan Wing, left, Kristin Neff, right, defense attorneys for Emanuel Kidega Samson, are pictured listening to testimony

The Sunday shooting rampage killed 38-year-old Melanie L. Crow of Smyrna, Tennessee.

The FBI and U.S. attorney’s office in Nashville quickly opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting.

The judge also heard testimony from Robert Caleb Engle, the 22-year-old church member hailed as a hero in the attack.

A note found on the dashboard of Samson's car referenced Dylann Roof, a white supremacist who shot nine people at an historic African-American church in South Carolina. The note referred to Roof as 'less than nothing,' police say

A note found on the dashboard of Samson’s car referenced Dylann Roof, a white supremacist who shot nine people at an historic African-American church in South Carolina. The note referred to Roof as ‘less than nothing,’ police say

During the shooting, Engle said he twice confronted the gunman, who was wearing a tactical vest and a motorcycle-style mask with a clown smile on it. 

Engle said he grabbed the shooter’s arm, at which point he pistol whipped the churchgoer three times in the head.

Later, Engle said he stood up in front of the shooter, whose gun then turned to target him. 

Engle said he pushed the gun back onto the shooter and a shot fired, striking the gunman and sending him to the ground.

Engle said his father kicked the gun away, stood on the shooter’s hand and told Engle to go get his gun out of his truck.

Engle came back with his weapon, put his foot on the shooter’s back and stood guard until first responders arrived.

According to police records, Samson struggled to hold a job and had a volatile relationship with a woman that twice involved police this year, and also had expressed suicidal thoughts in June.

Samson’s public records had not listed any criminal charges against him.

Authorities have said Samson came to the United States from Sudan as a child in 1996 and is a U.S. citizen.

The gunman attended Smyrna High School before studying psychology at Mott Community College. He had lived in Rutherford County and in South Nashville near Burnette Bethel Church of Christ.

He appears to have made a number of cryptic Facebook posts on the morning of the shooting, writing: ‘Everything you’ve ever doubted or made to be believe as false, is real. & vice versa, B.’

In another, he wrote: ‘Become the creator instead of what’s created. Whatever you say, goes.’

Additional charges are expected. Samson is being held without bond.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk