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DOSSIER – In this photo of November 12, 2017, a man leaves the monument to the victims of a shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Sutherland Springs, Texas. A South Texas church where an armed gunman opened fire in 2017 and killed more than two dozen worshipers will unveil a new sanctuary and commemorative hall honoring the victims. Relatives and relatives of those who died or were injured at the Sutherland Springs Baptist Church are expected to gather at the newly built church on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP photo / Eric Gay, File)
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas – A South Texas church begins a new chapter of praise Sunday as it unveils a new sanctuary a year and a half after an armed man opened fire and killed more than two dozen worshipers during the most deadly shootout in the history of the state.
The faithful, elected leaders, and loved ones of those who died or were injured at the first Baptist church in the small town of Sutherland Springs are expected to gather at the shrine for a Sunday dedication. Republican Governor Greg Abbott is expected to deliver a speech at the ceremony.
The new worship center and memorial room honoring the victims were made possible by millions of dollars in donations from around the world. The installation includes reinforced security features, as well as a bell tower and an additional prayer area.
Rod Green, the land steward, said that the facility now has security cameras and an "intervention team" made up of designated worshipers.
"I mean it's a big and beautiful building, that's a new house of worship for God and the price to pay is huge, 26 dead for that," Green said.
An armed man killed 25 people at the church on November 5, 2017. The authorities set the official death toll at 26 because one of the victims was pregnant.
Places of worship are increasingly facing targeted attacks by extremists. A shooting in a California synagogue in April killed one person and injured three others. A white supremacist killed 51 people in a mosque in New Zealand in March.
Kevin Smith, director of religious and neighborhood partnerships at the US Department of Homeland Security, said the center was working with places of worship across the country to help them take the appropriate steps to secure their facilities and prepare for the threats. potential.
"We are going to take what was supposed to be detrimental and fix it by providing the tools that help and empower the other churches in the country to be ready," Smith said.
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