DEVELOPING STORY: Officers are responding to reports of an active shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston. The shooter was reportedly taken down by law enforcement. There are reports of at least one child who may have been injured.
The church confirmed shots were fired, adding, “Please pray for Lakewood and our community.”
The Sunday afternoon shooting was reported while a Spanish language service was underway.
“The active scene is at Lakewood Church on the SW Fwy service road,” the Houston Police Department said in a statement. “Please avoid the area and use alternate routes. We have PIOs en route to the scene and will provide any and all updates here.”
It appears “a possible shooter is down,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. Gonzalez corrected an earlier statement claiming it was a sheriff’s deputy that fired the shot, saying “other agencies fired.”
Lakewood Church, which is famous for its senior pastor Joel Osteen, released the following notice Sunday afternoon.
“There is an active situation involving shots fired at Lakewood. Law enforcement is on the scene. That is all the information we have at this time. Please pray for Lakewood and our community.”