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Operation at Lakewood Church: attacker dead
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Kirk Sides/dpa
A woman fired shots with a long gun at a well-known megachurch in Houston, Texas. She was shot by two men shortly afterwards, the responsible police authority said at a press conference.
The men are said to be a Houston police officer and an employee of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission - an agency that is responsible, among other things, for regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages in the state. Both were off duty.
"This woman, this suspect, put the child in danger"
The shooter had a small child with her, it said. The boy, estimated to be five years old, was shot and is in critical condition. An uninvolved man was also injured in the leg.
Details of the crime are still unclear. Police have not released the woman's identity or a possible motive. It is also not known what relationship the woman had with the boy. It is also unclear who fired the shots that injured the man and child.
“I will say this,” said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, “this woman, this suspect, put the child in danger. I blame her.”
Firearms debate in the USA
The church is celebrity preacher Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church. According to media reports, around 45,000 people take part in the weekly services. According to police, the investigation is ongoing.
In the USA, rampages and fatal shootings are sadly part of everyday life. Firearms are easily available there and are widely circulated. Bloody attacks with many victims regularly shake the country - for example at schools, supermarkets, nightclubs or at large events. After every major attack, there are new calls for gun laws to be tightened. However, the demands are in vain, not least because of resistance from the Republican ranks.
bbr/dpa/AP