HOUSTON, Texas – A woman opened fire with a long gun at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church on Sunday, causing chaos as worshippers rushed to find safety. Off-duty officers confronted and ultimately killed the shooter, but not before two people were injured, including a 5-year-old boy who remained in critical condition. The violent incident took place just before the church’s 2 p.m. Spanish service, coinciding with the rest of the country’s preparation for the Super Bowl. The woman entered the enormous 16,000-person capacity church with the child, who was later injured in the shootout with police. Another man in his 50s also suffered from gunshot wounds.
Details surrounding the confrontation remain unclear, with authorities yet to release the woman’s identity or possible motive. It is not known whether she had any relationship to the boy, or who actually shot him and the man. Both the injured boy and the wounded man were taken to different hospitals, the former in critical condition.
Lakewood Church, regularly attended by 45,000 people per week, is the third-largest megachurch in the U.S., according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The timing of the shooting, between services, possibly prevented a larger-scale tragedy, as recounted by church leader Joel Osteen, who also expressed gratitude for the quick actions of the officers who engaged the shooter.
Longtime church member Alan Guity, who was present during the incident, described the harrowing experience and how he and his mother sought shelter inside the sanctuary as shots rang out. Guity’s account provides a glimpse into the panic and fear that gripped the church during the shooting.
After the woman was shot by the officers, she claimed to have a bomb, prompting a thorough search of her vehicle and backpack, which turned up no explosives. Despite the chaos and devastation, Osteen stated that the congregation would remain strong and continue to provide hope and support to the world, while Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered condolences to those impacted by the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, the identity and motive of the shooter, as well as the nature of her relationship with the boy, remain shrouded in mystery. This traumatic event has shaken the Lakewood Church community and raised important questions about security and safety in places of worship.