SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas – Nearly seven years after 26 people were killed at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, church members are learning of plans to demolish the building.
An email obtained Monday by KSAT sent to members by the church’s pastor announced the building would be closed but did not indicate a day when the demolition would take place.
Twenty-six people were killed by a gunman during a Sunday service in 2017. The sanctuary has since been turned into a memorial honoring the victims.
The email said the sanctuary would be open for final visits on July 1 and 2.
In early June, a lawsuit was filed alleging that memberships were thrown out before a vote on the church building’s future was held.
KSAT has reached out to church leadership for more information on demolition plans.
Mason Hickok is a digital journalist at KSAT. He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a communication degree and a minor in film studies. He also spent two years working at The Paisano, the independent student newspaper at UTSA. Outside of the newsroom, he enjoys the outdoors, reading and watching movies.
Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.
