SUTHERLAND SPRINGS (WBAP/KLIF News) – A South Texas family who lost three generations in a mass shooting at a small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs has filed a claim against the United States government.
26 people were killed and almost two dozen were injured when a former Air Force member Devin Patrick Kelly stormed into the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs and opened fire earlier this month.
Nine members of the Holcombe family were gunned down that day and surviving relatives say the Air Force’s failure to enter Kelly’s information into the database allowed him to purchase the weapons used in the November 5th attack.
Kelly later committed suicide after being shot by a Good Samaritan.
The Air Force has admitted that it made a mistake.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Air Force said it’s ongoing review found that the reporting failure in the Kelly case was by the Office of Special Investigation officials and Air Force security force personnel at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
“The review also found the error in the Kelley case was not an isolated incident and similar reporting lapses occurred at other locations. Although policies and procedures requiring reporting were in place, training and compliance measures were lacking,” it said.
The Associated Press reports the Air Force has made changes designed to prevent such failures in the future.
The Holcombe family’s claim could be the first step in filing a lawsuit.
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