A day after gunfire erupted in Joel Osteen’s megachurch, leaving worshippers scrambling for safety between services, the motive behind the shooting by a woman remained unclear on Monday.
Police disclosed that two off-duty officers assigned to security at Lakewood Church, one of the largest megachurches in the U.S., fatally shot the suspect. The incident also left two other individuals injured, including a 5-year-old boy who had entered the church with the shooter and was hospitalized in critical condition.
Joel Osteen, the celebrity pastor of the church, remarked that the situation could have been far worse had the shooting occurred during the larger late-morning service.
Here’s what is known about the incident:
HOW DID THE SHOOTING OCCUR?
Gunshots rang out within the sprawling church, formerly the home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday, just as many were preparing for the Super Bowl later that day.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, standing alongside Osteen at a news conference on Sunday, refrained from identifying the suspect but described her as a woman in her early to mid-30s. She had entered the church wearing a trench coat and carrying a backpack, armed with a long rifle, although the specific type of weapon was not detailed.
According to Finner, the woman arrived at the church accompanied by the young boy, though their relationship was not specified. Upon opening fire, she was met with resistance from two off-duty officers—a Houston police officer and a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent—who returned fire. The suspect, after being shot, claimed there was a bomb, but a subsequent search found no explosives.
Authorities commended the officers for their swift response in neutralizing the shooter.
WHO ARE THE VICTIMS?
Officials have not released the identities of those involved in the shooting.
The circumstances surrounding how the young boy, who was rushed to a Houston children’s hospital, sustained gunshot wounds remain unclear. When asked if the child was hit by gunfire from one of the officers returning fire, Finner declined to speculate but emphasized that the suspect had put the child in danger.
The other victim, described as a man in his 50s, suffered a gunshot wound to his hip.
HOW DID WORSHIPPERS INSIDE REACT?
Alan Guity, a church member since 1998, recounted hearing gunshots while resting inside the sanctuary as his mother served as an usher.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom. And I yelled, ‘Mom,'” Guity recalled.
He and his mother dropped to the floor, seeking refuge as the gunfire continued. After about five minutes, they were informed it was safe to exit the building. Outside, Guity observed panic and tears as people searched for loved ones. He and his mother attempted to comfort others by singing and worshiping in Spanish.
WHO IS JOEL OSTEEN?
Joel Osteen, 60, assumed leadership of Lakewood Church following the passing of his father, John Osteen, the church’s founding pastor, in 1999. Under Joel’s leadership, the church has experienced significant growth, with weekly attendance averaging 45,000, making it the third-largest megachurch in the U.S. according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.
Osteen is a proponent of the prosperity gospel, which teaches that God desires believers to be prosperous and healthy. He is also a bestselling author, known for works such as “Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential.”
His televised sermons reach audiences in approximately 100 countries, and the renovation of the church’s arena reportedly cost nearly $100 million.
During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Osteen faced criticism on social media for initially not offering his church as a shelter, although it was eventually opened to those seeking refuge.
