The Justice Department is seeking the death penalty against Dylann Roof, who allegedly opened fire inside a Charleston, South Carolina, church last year, killing nine people. 
 
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 "Following the department’s rigorous review process to thoroughly consider all relevant factual and legal issues, I have determined that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty," Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced today. "The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision." 
 
 Roof is accused of killing black worshippers at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston in June 2015, armed with a .45 caliber handgun and eight magazines loaded with hollow-point bullets. 
 
 He was looking to kill black worshippers, with the goal of "fanning racial flames" around the country and as retribution for perceived slights against white people, Lynch previously said. 
 
 A federal grand jury in South Carolina has indicted Roof, now 22, on 33 counts of federal hate crimes and firearm charges. He is also facing state charges. 
 
 ABC News' Pierre Thomas and Jack Cloherty contributed to this report. 
 
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 State of South Carolina is also set to try Roof and will also seek death penalty 
 
 (CNN) Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Dylann Roof, who is accused of killing nine people at a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina, in July 2015. 
 
 Roof, who is white, is charged with 33 federal offenses, including hate crime charges for allegedly targeting his victims on the basis of their race and religion. A judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in July 2015. 
 
 "The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said. 
 
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 Roof, 22, is accused of shooting participants of a Bible study class at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, known as Mother Emanuel, in downtown Charleston on June 17, 2015. 
 
 Among the victims was the church's pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who also was a state senator. 
 
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– Prosecutors on both the state and federal level will now have ample opportunity to seek the death penalty against Dylann Roof if they wish. A federal grand jury today indicted the accused Charleston church shooter on 33 counts, including hate crimes, reports the State. Among the charges were 12 counts of killing someone while obstructing religious freedom, a charge the New York Times reports carries the death penalty. This is in addition to the charges on the state level, including nine counts of murder, also eligible for the death penalty. Prosecutors haven't said whether they'll seek capital punishment, and Attorney General Loretta Lynch reiterated that today in announcing the federal indictments, reports NBC News.