Two people got hurt, including a 5-year-old boy who's in critical condition, in a shocking incident unfolded at celebrity pastor Joel Osteen's megachurch in Texas when a woman wearing a trenchcoat suddenly started shooting inside the church. This caused chaos as people ran for safety.
The scary situation happened just before the church's Spanish service was about to start on Sunday. The woman, accompanied by the boy, came into the church. It's still unclear why she did this or how she knew the boy. It is still not know who shot the boy or if he was injured in the cross firing. The Houston Police Chief criticized the woman for putting the child in danger. Right now, the boy is in a critical condition, while the other person is stable with a hip injury.
This happened in between the church's services. Normally, Lakewood Church is packed with 45,000 people each week, but this time it was a bit smaller because it was the Spanish service. Witnesses said they heard lots of gunshots, which caused panic.
Witnesses told reporters that they heard multiple gunshots. Christina Rodriguez, who was inside the church, told Houston television station KTRK that she "started screaming, 'There's a shooter, there's a shooter,' "and then she and others ran to the backside of a library inside the building, then stood in a stairway before they were told it was safe to leave.
Thankfully, two off-duty officers acted quickly to stop the woman. They're being praised for preventing more harm. After she was shot, the woman told police that she had a bomb, but authorities said no explosives were found when her vehicle and backpack were searched. First responders continued to search the megachurch for hours afterwards.
The pastor, Joel Osteen, said he's heartbroken about what happened. He's praying for the victims and their families, including the woman who did the shooting. Despite the tragedy, he's staying positive, saying that good forces are stronger than evil ones.
The Texas Governor also expressed sympathy for the church community. Lakewood Church, led by Joel Osteen, has grown a lot over the years and has a big following worldwide.
As the investigation continues, the Lakewood Church community is trying to recover from this scary event. They're holding onto their faith and hoping for healing.
