HOUSTON, TX – A shocking incident unfolded on Sunday at the famous Lakewood Church in Houston, led by Pastor Joel Osteen. A woman began firing indiscriminately inside the church, leading to her death at the hands of off-duty officers who were present, as per Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.
The unfortunate event resulted in a child being critically injured, while a 57-year-old bystander was also wounded in the leg. The woman, estimated to be in her early thirties, entered the church’s west side around 1:53 p.m. local time.
The woman, brandishing a long rifle, was accompanied by a 5-year-old boy. The officers on site responded to the threat, resulting in the woman’s death. Tragically, the child was also caught in the crossfire and is now fighting for his life in a local hospital.
In a press conference, Finner confirmed that the child was also a victim of the shooting and was rushed to the hospital in a critical state. When asked if the police might have inadvertently shot the child, Finner stated that if that were the case, the blame would squarely fall on the suspect for putting the child in harm’s way.
A 57-year-old man, unconnected to the incident, was also wounded in the leg and is currently stable in a hospital. The female suspect had alleged to have a bomb, but a thorough search by the officers revealed no explosives.
The incident, Finner noted, could have escalated to a much worse situation, given the woman’s possession of a long gun. Pastor Joel Osteen, in his address at the press conference, noted the incident’s timing between services at the megachurch. He expressed his relief that the incident did not coincide with the 11:00 service, which could have led to more casualties.
The incident occurred during a Spanish language service, and it was revealed that some Harris County deputies also work part-time at the church.