Dylann Roof wants to plead guilty to killing nine people at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina in June, but his lawyers are advising him otherwise.

The accused gunman appeared in federal court Friday for a brief arraignment regarding the mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The 21-year-old white man opened fire at the church on June 17 while the church members were praying. Altogether, nine people were killed, including the church's pastor, state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, 41. Three people survived.

According to USA Today, Roof wants to plead guilty to the 33 federal charges filed against him, but his lawyer said in court that he wouldn't do so until prosecutors say whether or not they plan to seek the death penalty. Once the government's intentions are made clear, defense attorney David Bruck said he would advise his client to enter a guilty plea.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Bristow Marchant then entered a not guilty plea for Roof, who is facing hate crimes, weapons charges and obstructing the practice of religion.

The judge also allowed the family members of victims in the attack to speak in court, along with members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston.

Following the shooting, President Obama has reignited his call for tougher gun control laws.

"We do know that once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun," Obama said in a speech in June, reports CNN. "At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this kind of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It doesn't happen in other places with this kind of frequency. It is in our power to do something about it."