Topline
The victims of a 2017 shooting inside a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, have reached a $144.5 million tentative settlement with the Justice Department, according to a DOJ statement, closing out a lawsuit that argued the federal government failed to stop the fifth-deadliest shooting in U.S. history.
Families mourn the 26 victims of the 2017 shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
Key Facts
More than 75 survivors and relatives of victims of the shooting—which killed 26 people and wounded 22—are settling with the Justice Department.
As part of the settlement, the DOJ is dropping its controversial appeal of a court verdict that the Air Force was partially responsible for the attack because it failed to input the shooter’s criminal history into a background check database that would have prevented him from purchasing firearms.
The agreement is not final and still needs to be approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland’s office, but is expected, the victims’ lawyer told media outlets on Wednesday.
Key Background
Dozens of survivors and relatives sued the Air Force a year after the 2017 shooting, which led to dozens of deaths before the gunman was chased by town residents and died of a self-inflicted gunshot. In July 2021, a judge ruled the Air Force was 60% responsible for the church shooting because it failed to alert the FBI that shooter Devin Kelley—who was in the Air Force—was previously investigated for assaulting his then-wife and her stepson on an Air Force base. The ruling argued that this information would have barred him from purchasing guns under the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. After damages were assessed, the Air Force was ordered to pay $230 million.
Chief Critic
Gun control supporters and Sutherland Springs victims harshly criticized the Justice Department’s appeal of the 2021 ruling, accusing the Biden Administration of undermining its own positions on increased background checks for firearms. The National Rifle Association applauded the appeal when it was first announced in January.
Further Reading
Federal judge finds U.S. government inaction mostly to blame for Sutherland Springs mass shooting (Texas Tribune)
DOJ appeals ruling that the federal government is liable for the Sutherland Springs mass shooting (NBC News)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/04/05/us-agrees-to-pay-sutherland-springs-mass-shooting-survivors-145-million-in-settlement/