Texas Judge Allows Sutherland Springs Church Shooting Victims To Sue Gun Retailer
SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM/AP) -- A judge has ruled that victims of a mass shooting at Texas church can move forward with a lawsuit against a sporting goods chain where the gunman bought the weapon and ammunition used in the massacre.
The decision Monday by state District Judge Karen Pozza in San Antonio clears the way for families of the 2017 Sutherland Springs shooting to potentially bring their case against Academy Sport & Outdoors before a jury.
The small town's sense of safety was shattered that Sunday two years ago when gunman Devin Kelley walked through the doors of First Baptist Church and mercilessly opened fired.
Kelley had attended services at the church before his early morning rampage.
Academy Sport & Outdoors is where Kelley bought the assault-style rifle he used to kill more than two dozen people.
Some families have also separately sued the U.S. Air Force over failing to report Kelley's past crimes to a federal database. Kelley was an Air Force veteran who was discharged in 2014 for bad conduct.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)