A ruling Monday by a state district judge ended a temporary hold on the demolition of the original sanctuary at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, the site of the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history.
Twenty-six people were killed and 22 others were wounded at the church in 2017 after a gunman opened fire during Sunday service.
The church, about 45 miles east of San Antonio, was turned into a memorial in the months after the shooting. A new sanctuary later opened in 2019.
The original building was scheduled to be demolished earlier this month.
A July 2 court order, granted by 81st District Judge Jennifer Dillingham, temporarily paused the razing of the church.
The Associated Press reported state District Judge Russel Wilson denied a request Monday during a hearing to extend the order, which cleared the way for demolition.
In 2021, members of the church voted to raze the building.
A lawsuit filed by church member Amber Holder in May alleged she and other victims' family members did not get a chance to vote in the decision.
Holder has previously said she didn't mind if the church was razed — she was advocating for people who did not get a chance to cast a vote to have their voices heard.
It was not clear when the church planned to move forward with the demolition following Monday’s ruling.
