Topline
Two people were injured Sunday in a shooting at Lakewood Church, the mega church run by pastor Joel Osteen, Houston authorities said, adding the suspect was shot and killed by first responders on the scene.
A woman dressed in a trench coat carrying a long rifle opened fired inside the church on Sunday
Key Facts
A woman aged approximately 30 to 35 years old entered the mega church Sunday afternoon with a child and a long rifle and began shooting, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said Sunday at a press conference.
The young boy, approximately five-years-old, is in critical condition Sunday after the shooting and a 57-year-old man was shot in the hip and is in stable condition, Finner said.
Just before 4 p.m. ET, Lakewood Church posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying there was an active shooter situation that included shots fired and law enforcement was on the scene.
The woman was shot and killed by two off duty officers—one from the Houston Police Department and one from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission—who were serving as security detail at the venue.
Osteen said during the press conference he would pray for both the victims and the shooter, saying he was grateful the shooting happened in between church services when fewer people were in the building.
What We Don’t Know
The woman’s identity and motive have not yet been disclosed by police. Details about the injured child’s identity, his relationship with the shooter and how he got shot have also not been made public.
Crucial Quote
In a statement on X, Osteen wrote: “Our community is devastated by today’s events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement. May the healing hands of God touch the lives of everyone involved and provide comfort during this difficult time.”
Key Background
The shooter entered the church with the child at around 1:53 p.m. local time and opened fire. The woman was dressed in a trench coat, carrying a bag and claimed she had a bomb, although police later found no explosives on her. Finner said the woman sprayed some kind of substance on the ground, which is still being investigated. The shooting took place just before the church’s Spanish language service was set to begin. Although details about the shooter’s motives are unknown, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo called on the investigators to “look into whether it was a hate crime, given the shooting took place at an all-Spanish service.” Sounds of shots being fired were captured on the church’s live stream while Pastor Jorge Basave was making announcements. Basave continued speaking at first but eventually turned around as people were rushing away in the background.
Further Reading
Houston Police, Fire Department Responding To Shooting At Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church (NBC)
