Judge weighs request to dismiss lawsuits against Air Force over church attack

SAN ANTONIO — A federal judge says he’ll rule soon on whether to dismiss claims filed in several lawsuits against the U.S. Air Force in connection with a 2017 massacre at a Texas church that killed more than two dozen people.

Relatives of those killed or injured at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs sued, arguing that the federal government was negligent by failing to report gunman Devin Kelley’s criminal information to a national database used to conduct background checks of gun buyers.

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After Texas church shooting, Air Force finds dozens of similar crime reporting lapses

The Air Force on Tuesday said it has found dozens of database reporting lapses of the same kind that may have allowed the Sutherland Springs, Texas, church shooter to buy guns despite his domestic violence conviction.

By Stephen Losey

The Express-News reports lawyers for the Justice Department argued Tuesday in court that federal employees should be shielded from the lawsuits.

A government report released last year said the Air Force failed repeatedly to report information that could have prevented Kelley, a former airman, from buying a gun.

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