Tragedy struck this week when an armed shooter reportedly opened fire into the crowd at Joel Osteen's Lakewood church in Houston, Texas. Osteen, best known for his controversial media career in televangelism and failure to help those in need during times such as flooding and natural crises, runs the third-largest megachurch in the country, regularly attended by more than 45,000 individuals. While the shooting wasn't as severe as it could have been, it did injure two people, with one still in critical condition. The event concluded with church security fatally shooting the armed woman. There are still many unanswered questions surrounding this tragedy, such as the shooter's motive for the mass shooting. Here's everything we know so far.
The Shooter Has Been Identified
Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, was the perpetrator of the February 11 shooting, per Houston police officials. Apparently, Moreno entered Joel Osteen's church with an AR-style rifle tucked into her trench coat, accompanied by her seven-year-old son. Police searched Moreno's home address in Conroe, Texas, which is over 50 miles North of the megachurch, and failed to find anything that would explain Moreno's shocking and horrifying behavior.
Authorities also claim that, although Moreno suffers from a known history of documented mental illness and has several arrests on her record, she legally acquired both her AR-15 and .22 caliber rifle, which she brought into the church. Moreno also threatened to have a bomb on her person and sprayed a mysterious substance from a can. Luckily, police say there was no bomb, and the substance didn't appear to contain any harmful chemicals. The shooter's rifle reportedly had a "Palestine" sticker on the buttstock, and police were able to uncover some antisemitic writings penned by Moreno after the incident. However, investigators haven't determined whether her political views are relevant to the incident.
The Shooter Died In An Exchange Of Gunfire
After entering the Joel Osteen megachurch just before 2:00 p.m., the shooter began to open fire as members of the congregation scrambled for safety. Before two off-duty police officers confronted her, Moreno shot a man in his mid-fifties in the hip and her own son in the head. The armed officers, who had been working security for the megachurch, exchanged gunfire with Moreno until they fatally wounded her. The shooter's son is still in critical condition as of this writing.
The quick actions of security helped to avoid what could have been a staggering body count from the tragic event. Yet, Moreno's ability to get in the building does beg the question as to how security missed her multiple weapons in the first place. Mayor John Whitmire promised during an address to the city that Houston would increase protection and security at churches, as well as other places of worship such as synagogues and mosques.
Joel Osteen also weighed in on the shooting, stating, "Our community is devastated by today's events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement. Please join me in continued prayer for healing and peace." Investigators continue to uncover more details as they delve further into the situation.