HOUSTON – A child was left critically injured and a man was hurt after a woman fired multiple shots Sunday afternoon at Lakewood Church in Houston.
The shooting took place around 2 p.m. at the church which is located in the 3700 block of the Southwest Freeway.
Officials from the church said that they had just wrapped up the afternoon service and were about to start their Spanish-speaking service when the shooting took place.
According to police, the woman entered the church with a rifle, wearing a trench coat and holding a small child.
They say at some point, she opened fire.
The chief said, an off-duty HPD officer and TABC agent engaged the woman and she was shot.
Investigators said before the woman died, she reportedly said she had explosives in her vehicle, but nothing was found.
During the shooting, a 7-year-old boy was left critically injured and another man was struck in the leg by gunfire. It is unknown if the victims were struck by the suspect or officers during the shooting.
Preliminary info: Child shot between ages of 5 and 9 and shooter also shot. Press conference at 4:30. #hounews @hounews
— Constable Alan Rosen (@ConstableRosen) February 11, 2024
“This is a tragic day. Watch how we stand together. No suspect will tear down our city, our churches,” said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner during a news conference following the shooting at Lakewood Church.
Various law enforcement agencies are investigating the scene.
There is an active situation involving shots fired at Lakewood. Law enforcement is on the scene.
— Lakewood Church (@lakewoodchurch) February 11, 2024
That is all the information we have at this time. Please pray for Lakewood and our community.
Correction: 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.
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) February 11, 2024
Media partner staging area: Richmond @ Timmons. #HouNews https://t.co/8eJ3EZTBx0
Witnesses recount what happened inside the church
According to KPRC 2 reporters on the scene, witnesses said they heard “at least 14 gunshots.”
A woman who heard the gunshots said there was a service going on inside the church at the time.
“So there was one shot first and then there was a set of shots and then we started running and then there were multiple sets of shots, I can’t really count them, it was at least five times that they shot multiple times,” said Paula Laverde.