Lakewood Church shooting: FBI, police reportedly search Houston-area home linked to shooter

 Authorities in Texas are reportedly searching a home in the Houston area on Monday to determine where a shooter opened fire inside Joel Osteen's Lakewood church before being killed at the scene by off-duty police officers on Sunday afternoon. Why did you fire?

According to KPRC, the property in Conroe, where investigators believe the shooter lived, is being watched by the FBI, Texas Rangers, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and members of the Conroe and Houston police departments. The shooter has not been publicly identified. Houston's mayor, its police department and other agencies are scheduled to hold a meeting at 2:30 p.m. ET's press conference on the incident.

News of the search comes as witnesses open up about the chaos that erupted at the Houston megachurch shortly before 2 p.m. Spanish service was scheduled to begin tomorrow.

Christina Rodriguez, who was inside the church, told KTRK that she "started yelling, 'There's a shooter, there's a shooter,'" and then she and others ran inside the building to the back of a library, then Standing on a staircase, they were told it was safe to leave.

Longtime church member Alan Guity, whose family is from Honduras, told The Associated Press that he was resting inside the church sanctuary when he heard gunshots. "Boom, boom, boom, boom and I yelled, 'Mom,'" he said.

The 35-year-old man ran to his mother and as the firing continued, they both lay down on the floor and prayed. They remained there for about five minutes until someone told them it was safe to leave. Outside, Guity said he and his mother tried to calm people by worshiping and singing in Spanish, "Come into me, come into me. Touch my mind and my heart. Come within me, Holy Spirit." "

The attacker entered the church carrying a long rifle, wearing a backpack and a trench coat, and accompanied by a "small child about 4 to 5 years old," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said.

After the shooter opened fire, off-duty officers at the scene "engaged" the shooter and returned fire. The shooter was declared dead at the scene.

Police said two people were injured – a 57-year-old man and the child the attacker was accompanying, who is in critical condition at a children's hospital.

During a press conference, Osteen thanked law enforcement and said he was "devastated" by the shooting.

Osteen said, "We don't understand why all these things happened, but we know God is in control."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the shooting "tragic".

"Our thoughts are with those affected by today's tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community of Houston," Abbott said. "Places of worship are sacred."

The motive of the firing is not clear.