A tragic shooting occurred on Sunday, February 11th, at the Lakewood Church, which is a megachurch led by pastor Joel Osteen and his wife, killing a woman and injuring two others.
Based on the reports from the authorities and the media, the shooting occurred shortly before 2 p.m. during the Spanish language service, which was attended by a multitude of people.
A woman, whose name and age have not been released but speculated to be in her early 30s by the Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, entered the church with a rifle hidden under her trench coat and a backpack, claiming to have a bomb.
She fired several shots inside the church, hitting a man and possibly, the 5-year-old boy she came with. The man, aged 57, suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, while the boy was shot in the abdomen and chest. Both were taken to a hospital, where the boy remains in critical condition and the man is stable.
Two off-duty officers present at the Lakewood church, whose names were withheld, confronted the shooter and exchanged gunfire with her. They shot and killed her almost instantly. No other injuries were reported among the officers or the churchgoers.
The police searched the woman’s backpack and found no bomb or explosive device that she claimed to have. They also searched the church and the surrounding area for any other potential threats, but found none.
The police have still not disclosed the motive or the background of the shooter, or whether she had any connection to the Lakewood church or the victims. They are, however, investigating the incident and interviewing witnesses and survivors. They have also asked anyone with information or video footage of the shooting to contact them.
