WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The Justice Department announced Wednesday that a multi-million dollar civil settlement has been reached in the Sutherland Springs mass shooting at the church back in November of 2017 that killed 26 worshipers and injured 22 others.
The tentative settlements of $144.5 million will resolve claims by more than 75 plaintiffs arising out of the shooting.
The plaintiffs’ claims allege that the U.S. Air Force was negligent when it failed to transmit to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) information about the shooter that would have prevented him from purchasing guns from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
A federal district court in Texas concluded that the U.S. was liable for damages caused by the shooting. This tentative settlement would resolve the pending appeals.
In April, the DOJ said the settlement agreement has been approved, subject to the plaintiffs’ securing the required court approvals. Then under applicable law, a court needed to approve some aspects of the settlements.
“No words or amount of money can diminish the immense tragedy of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Today’s announcement brings the litigation to a close, ending a painful chapter for the victims of this unthinkable crime.”
"Under our normal procedures, the Department does not finally approve a settlement until after all necessary Court approvals have been obtained. But the Department has entered into a tentative agreement with the Sutherland plaintiffs subject to final approval by the appropriate Department official, which in this case would be the Associate Attorney General (Vanita Gupta). This settlement agreement has been approved and now subject to the plaintiffs’ securing the required Court approvals. An "agreement in principle" means we have an agreement but it’s not final til the Court approves," said DOJ PAO Terrence Clark.
Now, the order approving the settlement has been signed by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez.
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