Woman shot dead in parking lot of Houston church

HOUSTON, Jan. 17 (Xinhua)-- A woman was shot to death and another critically injured on Thursday in the parking lot of a church in Houston, local press reported.

The shooting took place at 7p.m. local time (0100 GMT Friday) in the parking lot outside Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, about 30 km northwest of downtown Houston, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The suspect was still at large and the police has not yet released a description of the shooter.

The woman was related to the assailant, a law enforcement official said.

The "scene at the church is under control," the sheriff's office said in its posting.

The church also addressed the shooting in a brief statement to Facebook.