January 1, Shooting at Osteen’s Lakewood Church: Suspect Dead, Man and Child Injured

Law enforcement officers rushed to the scene of a “possible shooter” at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Texas on Sunday afternoon. The shooting suspect is now dead, but a man and a child were tragically shot during the incident.

KTRK reported the chaos that unfolded just as the 2 p.m. Spanish-speaking service was about to begin. A witness emotionally recounted, “The whole church started praying and declaring Jesus’ name. I was like, ‘This might be the last time I get to pray, that I get to glorify the name of Jesus, so I’m going to do this.'”

Another man told KTRK that he fled the megachurch in southwest Houston with his three young daughters after hearing between 20 to 30 gunshots. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez wrote at 3:10 p.m. EST on the X social media platform, “Receiving initial reports of possible shots fired at/or around Lakewood Church.”

The Lakewood Church later confirmed, “There is an active situation involving shots fired at Lakewood. Law enforcement is on the scene.” Gonzalez then revealed, “Shooter is down. But it does not appear that @HCSOTexas deputies fired shots; other agencies fired. We continue to assist in a methodical/thorough search of the complex.”

The Houston Police Department identified the suspect as a 30 to 35-year-old woman, who entered Lakewood Church armed with a long rifle, wearing a trenchcoat, and carrying a backpack. She was accompanied by a child, who is approximately 5-years-old.

HPD Chief Troy Finner stated that the shooter at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church was taken down by off-duty Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission officers. These TABC officers reportedly work at Lakewood Church.

However, a 5-year-old was also shot and is now in critical condition. The child was reportedly with the woman. If police are found to be responsible for shooting the child, Finner said he would “put that blame” on the female suspect for putting the boy in danger.

A 57-year-old was shot in the leg as well. The shooter allegedly threatened to have bombs, but law enforcement has not found any explosives. She was also allegedly “spraying some kind of substance,” according to Finner.

A police spokesman ominously noted, “She had a long gun and it could’ve been a lot worse.” This is a developing story and will be updated as new details emerge.

Why It Matters (op-ed)

The recent shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church is a stark reminder of the dangers that continue to plague our society. The fact that a woman, armed with a long rifle and accompanied by a child, could enter such a place of worship is deeply concerning.

This incident demonstrates the necessity for strong Second Amendment rights, enabling law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their communities. The heroic actions of the off-duty TABC officers in taking down the shooter prevented further tragedy. This is yet another example of the importance of our right to bear arms in the face of evil.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

Source