An intense situation unfolded at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in southwest Houston on a tense Sunday, as a heavy police presence converged on the scene following alerts of an active shooter on the premises. The unsettling event, which was ongoing during ABC13’s continuous livestream, prompted an immediate response from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were dispatched to the megachurch, strategically located near the Southwest Freeway, in the early hours of the afternoon, shortly after the clock struck 2 p.m.
The incident occurred just as the church was preparing to commence its 2 p.m. Spanish-speaking service, a gathering meant for communal worship and reflection. Amid the preparations, a witness within the choir room reported hearing a series of gunshots, a sound that pierced the atmosphere of anticipation and tranquility. The unexpected chaos led to a collective response from those inside; as the witness recounted to Eyewitness News, the congregation spontaneously began to pray and invoke Jesus’ name, a profound moment of faith in the face of potential danger.