4 Killed, 8 Injured After Church Choir Van Is Rear-Ended in Virginia

Photo: Courtesy of Virginia State Police

A pickup truck pulling a trailer loaded with metal crashed into a church van on Tuesday in Virginia, killing four people and injuring several others.

According to Virginia State Police, the van was traveling west on Route 460 and had slowed down to make a right turn into a church parking lot when the truck “failed to stop in time” and rear-ended it.

“The impact of the crash caused the van to overturn several times before it finally came to rest on its side,” a statement from the police given to PEOPLE explained.

TheNew York Timesreports that the van contained members of the Shiloh Baptist Church choir who were en route to Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dinwiddie County to sing at a revival meeting.

Courtesy of Virginia State Police

The investigation into the crash remains ongoing, police said, and charges are pending.

Benjamin Brown Jr., the pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church, was not in the van but told theWashington Postthat he arrived on the scene after receiving a call from authorities.

“I’m shocked,” Brown said. “It’s hard to believe. We’re hurting.”

“We have our faith to lean on and help us through this,” he added to the outlet

source: people.com