After the genocide began in April 1994, thousands of Tutsi civilians fled to Nyamata Church seeking refuge, believing—as in past episodes of violence—that the church would offer safety. Instead, between April 10 and 14, Interahamwe militias and local Hutu civilians, often aided by local officials and police, surrounded the church.

They used grenades to break into the building and then slaughtered those inside using machetes, clubs, and guns. People hiding in the surrounding area were hunted down as well. It’s estimated that over 10,000 people were killed in and around the church over just a few days.

Victims were hacked to death with machetes, beaten with clubs, or shot. Women were often subjected to sexual violence before being killed. 

Today, the Nyamata Genocide Memorial preserves the church exactly as it was left after the massacre—bloodstained clothing, pews, and the altar remain as evidence. Beneath the church lie crypts containing the remains of more than 45,000 victims from Nyamata and nearby areas.