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Lakewood Church shooting: Child shot, suspected shooter down at Joel Osteen's megachurch in Houston

Harris County Sheriff's Office and Houston Police Department are responding to a possible shooting at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston Sunday afternoon.

Texas authorities say a child was shot and the suspect who fired shots inside Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church on Sunday afternoon is down.

Constable Alan Rosen of Harris County said the child who was shot is between the ages of 5 and 9, but provided no other information.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced the latest development of the shooting, which was reported at around 2 p.m. CT on Sunday afternoon, on X. The shooting was reported at around the same time that the Spanish language church service was scheduled to start.

"Correction: shooter is down," Gonzalez wrote on social media. "But it does not appear that@HCSOTexas deputies fired shots; other agencies fired."

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"We continue to assist in a methodical/thorough search of the complex."

At around 2:10 p.m. CT, Gonzalez announced that there were "possible shots fired at/or around Lakewood Church."

Less than an hour later, Texas police confirmed that the scene was Lakewood Church.

"The active scene is at Lakewood Church on the SW Fwy service road. Traffic is very heavy near and on the service road," Houston Police Department wrote on X.

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"Please avoid the area and use alternate routes. We have PIOs en route to the scene and will provide any and all updates here."

Police later advised that anyone with missing family members should head to the "family reunification location" at Greenway Plaza's Life Time Fitness gym.

Lakewood Church confirmed on X that there was a shooting and asked that users "please pray for Lakewood and our community."

In a press release sent to local outlets, Governor Greg Abbott called the shooting "tragic."

"Our hearts are with those impacted by today’s tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community in Houston," Abbott said. "Places of worship are sacred."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris County Sheriff's Office and the Houston Police Department for comment.

This story is developing, check back with us for updates.

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