Shooting reported at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church
Televangelist Joel Osteen, a well-known megachurch pastor who has been associated with the 'prosperity gospel' (Screenshot/JoelOsteen.com)
February 11, 2024
Lakewood Church, in Houston, Texas, tweeted out an alert that there was a shooting at their church on Sunday.
During the 4:37 p.m. C.S.T. briefing, Chief Troy Finner of the Houston Police Department said that the shooter was female, 30-35, and entered the building with a long gun hidden under a trench coat. A young child who police said was around 4 to 5 years-old accompanied her. The woman shot a middle-aged man in the hip.
Off-duty officers shot the female, who died at the scene.
The child was also shot and is in critical condition at Texas Children’s Hospital. Officers were unclear about how the child was injured.
"Law enforcement is on the scene. That is all the information we have at this time. Please pray for Lakewood and our community," the status update said.
A brief ABC News report cited Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez saying, "It appears 'a possible shooter is down,' shot by one of the deputies at the scene."
A witness described to a local ABC News reporter that the shooting happened after the main service but before the Spanish language service.
"The whole church started praying and declaring Jesus' name," a witness told Eyewitness News. She and others were in the choir room when they heard the shots.
ABC13 in Houston confirmed the validity of a Spanish language video from the church in which the shots can be heard before the host abruptly stops the feed.
Another video confirmed by ABC 13 showed people rushed to safety after hearing the many shots fired.