What to know about a shooting at Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Texas during Sunday services

HOUSTON– A motive for why a woman in a trench coat opened fire at celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Texas remained unclear Monday after the shooting sent worshipers rushing to safety between busy Sunday services.

Police say two off-duty officers working security at Osteen Church, one of the largest megachurches in the US, shot and killed the suspect. Two other people were also shot and injured, including a 5-year-old boy who entered the church with the gunman and was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Osteen said the violence could have been worse if the shooting had occurred during the earlier and larger Sunday morning service.

Here’s what you need to know about the shooting:

The sound of gunfire inside the massive church — which used to be home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets — startled worshipers just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, around the time many people were getting ready to watch the Super Bowl later.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner did not identify the suspect at a news conference Sunday as he stood near Osteen. He described the shooter as a woman in her early to mid-30s and said she entered the church wearing a trench coat and backpack and armed with a long gun, although he did not specify the exact weapon.

Finner said the woman entered the church with the young boy but did not describe their relationship. The woman began shooting and was confronted by two off-duty officers, a Houston police officer and an agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, who returned fire. Finner said the woman told officers after she was shot that there was a bomb, but a search turned up no explosives.

He and other authorities on the scene praised officers for taking down the gunman.

“She had a long gun, and it could have been worse,” Finner said. “But they stepped up and did their job.”

Authorities have not released the identities of anyone involved in the shooting.

It remained unclear how the young boy, who was taken to a children’s hospital in Houston, was struck by gunfire. When asked if the boy was shot by one of the off-duty officers who fired back at the suspect, Finner said he didn’t want to speculate, but added, “That woman, that suspect, put that baby in danger.” blame her.”

Authorities described the other victim as a man in his 50s who suffered a hip injury.

Alan Guity, whose family is from Honduras, has been a member of the Church since 1998. He said he heard gunshots while resting in the church’s sanctuary while his mother worked as an usher.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom. And I shouted, ‘Mom,'” he said.

Guity, 35, said he ran to his mother and they both lay flat on the ground as the gunfire continued. Guity said he and his mother prayed and lay on the ground for about five minutes until someone told them it was safe to leave the building. As he was led outside, Guity saw people scared and crying and looking for loved ones.

Guity said he and his mother tried to calm people down by worshiping in Spanish and singing, “Move in me, move in me.” Touch my mind and my heart. Move in me Holy Spirit.”

Osteen, 60, took the helm of Lakewood Church after John Osteen, his father and the church’s founding pastor, died in 1999. The church has grown dramatically under Joel Osteen and is regularly attended by 45,000 people each week, making it the third largest church. megachurch in the US, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.

Osteen is a leader of what is known as the prosperity gospel, a belief that God wants his followers to be wealthy and healthy. He is the author of several best-selling books, including “Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Unleash Your Full Potential.”

His television services reach about 100 countries and the renovation of his church’s arena cost almost $100 million.

After Hurricane Harvey flooded Houston in 2017, Osteen opened his church to people seeking shelter after critics on social media blasted the televangelist for not offering to house those in need.

___

Associated Press reporter Paul J. Weber in Texas contributed to this report.