SUTHERLAND SPRING, Texas — Crews started Monday to tear down a Texas church where a gunman killed more than two dozen worshippers in 2017, using heavy machinery to raze the small building after some families had sought to preserve the scene of the deadliest church shooting in U.S. history.
A judge cleared the way last month for First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs to tear down the sanctuary where the attack took place.
The church until now had kept the sanctuary as a memorial. Members of First Baptist voted in 2021 to tear down the building over the protests of some in the small community.
Authorities put the number of dead in the Nov. 5, 2017, shooting at 26 people, 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.
Earlier this summer, a Texas judge granted a temporary restraining order sought by some families. But another judge later denied a request to extend that order, setting in motion the demolition. In court filings, attorneys for the church called the structure a “constant and very painful reminder.”
The man who opened fire in the church, Devin Patrick Kelley, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was chased by bystanders and crashed his car. Investigators have said the shooting appeared to stem from a domestic dispute involving Kelley and his mother-in-law, who sometimes attended services at the church but was not present on the day of the shooting.
Communities across the U.S. have grappled with what should happen to the sites of mass shootings. Last month, demolition began on the three-story building where 17 people died in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. After the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, it was torn down and replaced.
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Stengle reported from Dallas.
The demolition of the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where a gunman killed 26 people and injured 20 others in 2017, has officially begun. The tragic event, which took place on November 5th, 2017, shocked the nation and left the small community reeling from the senseless act of violence.
The decision to demolish the church was made by the congregation and community members in an effort to move forward and heal from the traumatic event. The church had become a painful reminder of the tragedy, and many felt that tearing it down would help in the healing process.
The demolition process is expected to take several weeks, as crews work to carefully dismantle the building and remove all traces of it from the site. Once the church is completely removed, plans are in place to create a memorial garden in its place to honor the victims and provide a place for reflection and remembrance.
The demolition of the First Baptist Church serves as a somber reminder of the impact that acts of violence can have on communities. It also highlights the resilience and strength of the Sutherland Springs community as they come together to rebuild and move forward from the tragedy.
As the demolition continues, community members are finding solace in coming together to support one another and remember those who lost their lives in the senseless act of violence. The memorial garden that will be created in place of the church will serve as a lasting tribute to the victims and a place for healing and reflection for years to come.
While the demolition of the church is a difficult and emotional process, it is seen as a necessary step in the healing journey for the Sutherland Springs community. As they work to rebuild and move forward, they are united in their commitment to honoring the memory of those who were lost and creating a brighter future for their community.
