The Air Force is deemed responsible for not updating shooter’s background check.
The Department of Justice settled with survivors of the 2017 mass shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The department agreed to pay the victims $144.5 million in damages for not adequately updating the background information for the mass shooter and former Air Force airman Devin Patrick Kelley.
The firearms Kelley used to kill 26 people and injure 22 are not allowed to be purchased by those convicted with a violent felony. The Air Force had neglected to update Kelley’s legal filing to include his 2012 court martial for domestic violence, allowing him to purchase firearms for the mass shooting that he should not have been allowed to purchase.
“No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a statement. “Today’s announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the Department of Justice as they uphold their commitment to these mass shooting victims.
- That these damages help return a modicum of peace to this violence-stricken church community.
- For Congress and administration officials as they work to end mass shootings in America.
Sources: Department of Justice, Reuters
