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Possible shooter down at pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church
in Houston, authorities say
Authorities are responding to a reported shooting at pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, the Houston Police Department said in a post on X Sunday.
The reported shooting was at 3700 Southwest Freeway, according to police.
“This is an on-going, active scene. Please avoid the area. Additional information will be provided as it is available,” police said.
Lakewood Church – a megachurch about 6 miles from downtown Houston – confirmed reports of “shots fired,” saying on X, “There is an active situation involving shots fired at Lakewood. Law enforcement is on the scene.
That is all the information we have at this time. Please pray for Lakewood and our community.”
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also posted about the incident, saying, “Info remains preliminary, as things remain dynamic. It is believed that a possible shooter is down, shot by one of our deputy’s on-scene. I’m enroute to the scene.”
A Lakewood parishioner at the scenes said affiliate KPRC he was inside the church waiting for the Spanish language service to start when he heard multiple shots fired.
The man was then instructed by a church usher to run, he told KPRC. The service was slated to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET, according to the church website.
News media has reached out to Houston police and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for more information.
Last edited by Spunky (2/11/2024 5:01 pm)
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Re: Possible shooter down at pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church
A woman in a trench coat armed with a long rifle – and accompanied by a young child – entered Osteen’s Lakewood Church on Sunday afternoon and began firing, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said.
Two off-duty law enforcement officers – a Houston police officer and an agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission – engaged and struck the woman, who died on the scene, Finner said.
The woman was roughly 30-35 years old, the chief said.
“Unfortunately a 5-year-old kid was hit and is in critical condition at our local hospital,” he added. The incident unfolded just before 2 p.m., the chief said.
It was unclear who fired the shot that struck the child, the chief said, or what the child’s relationship to the shooter was.
Last edited by Spunky (2/11/2024 7:26 pm)
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Re: Possible shooter down at pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church
The woman had also threatened she “had a bomb,” but authorities searched her vehicle and a backpack she was wearing and found no explosives, Finner said.
“She was also spraying some type of substance on the ground,” the chief added.
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