Tent Collapses During Virginia Church’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, Killing 1 and Injuring 22

Police tape blocks off an area as investigators collect evidence after a man crashed his vehicle after being fatally shot during a confrontation with ICE officers on September 12, 2025 in Franklin Park, Illinois. The Chicago area has seen a surge in ICE activity recently, part of the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the area dubbed "Operation Midway Blitz". Scott Olson/Getty Images

A large tent collapsed during a Virginia church’s 20th anniversary celebration on Friday evening, killing one person and injuring nearly two dozen others, officials said.

Heavy rain, lightning and strong winds tore through Moneta, a small community about 124 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Richmond, as the EastLake Community Church was holding an outdoor service, Shelley Basinger, a spokesperson for Bedford County, said in a statement. The group was in the process of leaving the event tent when it collapsed, according to Abbey Johnston, acting chief of Bedford County Fire and Rescue