Houston, Texas – A shooting incident at celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Texas resulted in the death of an armed female suspect, and critical injury to a 5-year-old boy, as well as a 57-year-old man, who is in stable condition, Houston police confirmed.
The armed woman, said to be between 30 and 35 years old, entered the church with the child just before 2 p.m. local time. The suspect was then engaged by off-duty officers working security at the church, resulting in her being fatally shot. The child remains hospitalized in critical condition, while the man who was injured is said to not be directly involved in the incident.
According to Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, the officers were responding to reports of a shooting at the church when they confronted the suspect. The woman claimed to have a bomb, although no explosives were found at the scene.
The incident took place just before the start of the church’s 2 p.m. Spanish language service. Osteen’s Lakewood Church is one of the largest megachurches in the United States.
Finner expressed relief that the situation did not escalate further, stating, “She had a long gun and it could’ve been a lot worse.” Meanwhile, Osteen also remarked on the potential for greater harm had the incident occurred during a busier church service.
The situation, although tragic, could have resulted in greater casualties if not for the prompt response of the off-duty officers. Investigations into the incident are ongoing to determine the motive behind the armed woman’s actions and her connection to the child involved in the shooting.