A man and a young child were injured in a mass shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston on Sunday, police said.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said that a woman in a trench coat with a long gun, accompanied by a young child, entered the church just before 2:30 p.m. local time.
The woman was shot and killed by off-duty police inside the church shortly after, Finner said. The five-year-old child and a 56-year-old man were shot and injured. The child is in critical condition, Finner said.
The suspect also claimed to have a bomb, but police said no explosive devices were found on her body or in her vehicle, and the church complex was being searched.
The shooting occurred between two services at Lakewood, one of the largest megachurches in the country.
“It’s unfortunate, on a day that we want to attend church and watch America’s number one sports event, we find ourselves gathered here to respond to this tragedy,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a press conference.
“Our hearts are with those impacted by today’s tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community in Houston,” Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in a statement. “Places of worship are sacred.”
The governor added he has been in contact with local and state officials to “help this community and help bring swift justice to the criminal who committed this heinous act.”
Updated 6:08 p.m.
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