HOUSTON — In a video posted to social media Wednesday, Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen announced the church would have special services Sunday, a week after a shooting took place.
Shots were fired at the church on Sunday, Feb. 11 around 1:55 p.m., sending parishioners scrambling to safety.
A day later, Houston police confirmed the deceased shooter was Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36. Her 7-year-old son was shot in the incident, along with an innocent bystander, a 57-year-old man.
In the video posted to social media, Osteen acknowledge that although it's been a "difficult week," he looks back now and sees the "faithfulness of God and how He protected and watched over us."
Osteen then said special services would be held on Sunday, Feb. 18 as a "time of healing and restoration" and the opportunity to "thank God and his angels for watching over us."
Osteen said he hopes families will come out even though there are "forces that would like us to shrink back and live in fear" and "be afraid of what might happen" at school, the grocery store, work and even church.
"We are not people of fear," Osteen said in the video. "We are people of faith."
Osteen said during service on Sunday, they would take time to honor some of the heroes that day.
Osteen ended the video by saying, "we're looking forward to seeing you and your family and know that we love you very much."
Moreno was wearing a trench coat and a backpack when she threatened an unarmed security guard with an AR-15 before entering Lakewood with her son, according to police. She started shooting her AR-15 as soon as she walked inside. Two off-duty officers working extra jobs at the church shot and killed Moreno.
During the gun battle, Moreno's son was shot in the head. At last check, he is still in critical condition. An innocent bystander was also shot in the leg. He was released from the hospital on Monday.
Here's a timeline of the events that led up to the shooting as well as what happened during the shooting itself.