(3 Jul 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sutherland Springs, Texas – 2 July 2024
1. Various of church exterior
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Roxanna Avants, community member:
"And, I wasn’t living here when the shooting happened, but I have a connection to this church. The pastor that was here many years ago baptized me when I was eight years old, was the pastor of this church. And when I heard, got up. I went home to church the Sunday that this happened, and I saw it on the news. I had to come down. And, by by way of my family members, I knew some of the people that were members of this church, and it just it’s awful sad, heartbreaking."
3. Wide of church entrance
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Roxanna Avants, community member:
"I came back today because I’ve since. Since this happened, my husband passed away and my daughter and I moved back down to Wilson County. Now we live in (inaudible) and, I heard what was happening and I wanted to come and I wanted to come get a picture and see the church before they tore it down. I understand there might be a stay. That’s why I came here to say it one last time."
5. Various of church
6. SOUNDBITE (English)Terri Smith, community member:
"It’s very heartbreaking to know that they want to tear down the church. The church is a beautiful sanctuary. And this is where all of us go when we’re missing our loved ones. We feel their spirits in there. We feel the warmthness. It’s not a place where you go in, get scared. You actually feel the embrace of every one of them in there. And this church has been here for a very long time, and we all strongly feel that the church protected everybody in there."
7. Wide of bench outside church
8. SOUNDBITE (English)Terri Smith, community member:
"And for the people, many of whom died instantly. God lifted their spirits and helped him save the people that survived. And it means a lot to us. I’m saddened that they didn’t reach out to the community or to the families or to the survivors that don’t attend that church anymore. But this is very heart broken for all of us."
9. Close up of outside of church
10. SOUNDBITE (English)Terri Smith, community member:
"I feel that. There’s many memorials around here with their names on them here in Floresville. But the feeling that you get, and I feel strongly that that’s what it’s going to turn into, is just another plaque with their name on it."
11. Various exteriors of church
STORYLINE:
Plans to tear down a small Texas church where a gunman in 2017 killed more than two dozen worshippers brought visitors Tuesday back to the rural sanctuary amid a last-minute push by some families to stop the demolition.
Leaders of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs have not publicly announced when it plans to demolish the sanctuary, where authorities put the number of dead from the shooting at 26 people, including a pregnant woman and her unborn child in what remains the deadliest church shooting in U.S. history.
On Tuesday, a Texas judge approved a temporary restraining order sought by some families to delay the demolition. The order signed by Judge Jennifer Dillingham instructs the church not to begin demolition and appear before the court later this month.
But Sam Fugate II, an attorney for the families that sought the restraining order, said the church had still not been served the order as of Tuesday afternoon and expressed concern that the demolition could still proceed.
Christine Earnhardt, a secretary for the church, said Tuesday that she could not confirm whether a demolition was scheduled and that the church had no plans to comment or make a statement.
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