Child Reportedly Shot at Houston's Lakewood Church During Sunday Service
ICARO Media Group
The incident took place at approximately 2 p.m. in the church, located in the 3700 block of the Southwest Freeway.
According to eyewitnesses, the church had just concluded its afternoon service and was preparing to begin the Spanish-speaking service when gunshots rang out. Officials from the church have confirmed that an active situation involving shots fired is currently underway and law enforcement is on the scene.
Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen shared preliminary information about the incident on Twitter, indicating that both the child and the shooter were injured. Further details are expected to be revealed at a press conference scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the roads near Lakewood Church as the investigation develops. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez provided an update on social media, stating that the suspected shooter is believed to be down. However, it remains unclear which law enforcement agency was responsible for neutralizing the suspect as multiple agencies opened fire.
Reporters from KPRC 2, who arrived at the scene, interviewed witnesses who claimed that the shooter may have been a female who unleashed gunfire in the church's lobby. The witnesses also reported hearing at least 14 gunshots during the terrifying ordeal.
Paula Laverde, one of the witnesses, described the chaos, saying, "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."
Law enforcement authorities continue to conduct a methodical and thorough search of the complex. As more information becomes available, KPRC 2 will provide updates on this developing story.
This tragic incident at Lakewood Church serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of gun violence, emphasizing the need for increased efforts to prevent such incidents from happening in places of worship and communities at large.