Sutherland Springs family sues outdoors store where church shooter purchased gun

Joann Ward, who died at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, and her dog, Zena. Joann Ward, who died at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, and her dog, Zena. Photo: Courtesy Photo Photo: Courtesy Photo Image 1 of / 44 Caption Close Sutherland Springs family sues outdoors store where church shooter purchased gun 1 / 44 Back to Gallery

A family that lost three members in the Sutherland Springs massacre has filed a lawsuit against the store where the shooter purchased weapons, according to documents obtained by mySA.com.

The Ward and Lookingbill family is seeking $25 million in damages after they say Academy Sports & Outdoors failed to follow the law when selling an assault rifle to Devin Patrick Kelley, who killed 26 people on Nov. 5 in the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.

In 2016, Kelley purchased a Ruger AR-566 rifle at an Academy store in San Antonio, and later used it to gun down half a church congregation.

Joann Ward and her daughters Emily Garcia and Brooke Ward were killed Nov. 5. Her 5-year-old stepson Ryland Ward was shot five times and remains in a San Antonio hospital. The suit states his arm was almost amputated, among other extensive injuries.

The Lookingbills, Joann's parents, and her husband, Chris, claim Academy should not have sold the rifle to Kelley because the shooter listed his Colorado Springs address on a firearm record form.

RELATED: Another Sutherland Springs family files civil claim against Air Force

The suit claims Kelley's firearm purchase should have been transferred to his Colorado residence. Instead, the suit says, Kelley picked the weapon up in Texas.

"The Ruger should have never been placed in Kelley's hands in Texas," reads the lawsuit.

After the shooting, Academy Sports & Outdoors confirmed Kelley purchased weapons there and said they performed the required background check.

Though Kelley's 2012 conviction for spousal and child abuse should have prevented Kelley from purchasing a gun, the U.S. Air Force said it failed to report the conviction to the FBI database.

Multiple victim families have sued the Air Force for their failure to report.

The Ward and Lookingbill families claim Academy was negligent and failed to protect the safety of the public, conduct a proper background check or follow proper gun-selling procedures.

The families are working with Houston-based Webster Law Firm.

Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @kbrad5