In November 2017, at least 26 people were killed in a mass shooting at a church in Texas.
Washington:
The Justice Department on Wednesday announced a $144.5 million settlement with the victims of a 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that left 26 dead and 22 injured.
The in-principle settlement, which still requires court approval, is intended to resolve civil lawsuits stemming from the assault by a former member of the US Air Force, the department said in a statement.
A federal district court judge ruled in July 2021 that the government was partially liable because the Air Force failed to enter information into the FBI’s background check system that could have prevented the attacker from purchasing a gun.
Devin Kelly, who killed himself after carrying out the attack at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, had a conviction for domestic violence on his record and was court-martialed.
The Texas judge hearing the case ordered the government to pay more than $230 million to victims of the attack, but the Justice Department appealed the decision.
The Justice Department said the temporary settlement resolves claims from more than 75 plaintiffs who accused the Air Force of negligence.
“No words or money can ease the tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta.
“Today’s announcement brings an end to the litigation, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unimaginable crime,” Gupta said.
The Justice Department has previously made large monetary settlements with victims of mass shootings.
A total of $127.5 million was awarded in March 2022 to victims and relatives of victims of the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.
In October 2021, the Justice Department reached an $88 million settlement with the victims of the 2015 shooting by a white supremacist at a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina.
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