A female suspect was fatally shot after shooting at Joel Osteen Lakewood Church.
The woman opened fire in a crowded megachurch owned by the evangelical pastor Joel Osteen.
Houston police chief Troy Finner said at a news conference on Sunday.;
‘At just before 2 p.m., the woman, holding a rifle, wearing a trench coat and carrying a backpack, entered Lakewood Church. She came with a boy of about 4 or 5 years old,
Two off-duty law enforcement officers who were working at the church on Sunday shot and killed the woman after she opened fire.
The boy was also shot, though it is unclear by whom. He was in critical condition at a hospital. A man in his 50s who was shot in the leg was hospitalized in stable condition.
The woman, who was described by officials as being in her 30s, also threatened that she had a bomb, and appeared to have sprayed an unidentified substance on the ground. The authorities did not find any explosives.’
Worshippers at the Lakewood megachurch in Houston ran to find safety after the woman began firing a long gun shortly before a 2pm Spanish-language service on Sunday.
Members of Lakewood Church were overcome with shock on Sunday afternoon.
It is unclear what prompted the shooting, and officers have refused to speculate on a motive.
With a background in television production, Joel Osteen took over his father’s church in 1999.
He has built a huge following, according to his website, his services draw 45,000 attendees to the church.
In a statement shared with The Christian Post at 7 p.m. Central time, Pastor Osteen said:
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.
In the face of such darkness, we must hold onto our faith and remember evil will not prevail. God will guide us through the darkest of times. Together, we will rise above this tragedy and stand firm in our commitment to love and support one another.
In times like these, our faith is tested, but it is also strengthened. We don’t always understand why things like this happen, but we know that God is in control.
Please join me in continued prayer for healing and peace.
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Image Credit: Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston – Callaghan O’Hare/Reuters
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