Crews in Sutherland Springs, Texas, demolished the First Baptist Church where a gunman killed more than two dozen worshippers in 2017. The church had been kept as a memorial, but church members voted to tear it down in 2021. Despite some families in the community filing a lawsuit to preserve the building, a judge allowed the demolition to proceed. The shooting on November 5, 2017, left 26 people dead, including a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. A new church was completed for the congregation about a year and a half after the shooting. Some community members, including 86-year-old church member John Riley, watched the demolition with sadness and disappointment, feeling that the church was a place of solace. Others, like Terrie Smith, who lost loved ones in the shooting, were also devastated to see the sanctuary torn down.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged wrongful removals from the church roster before the demolition vote, while the church denied the allegations. The church argued that tearing down the memorial was within their rights, while families were simply hoping for a new vote. The site is a reminder of the tragic event, with bullet holes serving as a powerful reminder. The gunman, Devin Patrick Kelley, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The demolition of sites of mass shootings, like Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and Sandy Hook Elementary School, have been subjects of debate in other communities in the U.S.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com