A Texas church where a gunman killed more than two dozen worshippers in 2017, the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, was torn down on Monday, despite some families seeking to preserve it. The sanctuary where the attack took place had been kept as a memorial but was demolished using heavy machinery after church members voted to tear it down. The shooting 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.
Many community members, such as John Riley, expressed sadness and disappointment at the demolition, viewing the church as a place of solace. The decision to tear down the church came after a legal battle, with some families seeking a new vote on the building’s fate. The plaintiffs alleged that some members were wrongfully removed from the church roster before the vote was taken.
The gunman responsible for the shooting, Devin Patrick Kelley, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Communities across the U.S. have grappled with the fate of sites of mass shootings, with some demolished and replaced, and others reopening after tragic events. In Texas, officials plan to demolish Robb Elementary in Uvalde after a 2022 shooting. The demolition of the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs marks the end of a painful chapter in the community’s history, bringing closure but also stirring emotions of sadness, anger, and hurt among those affected by the tragedy.
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