Would-be mass murderer Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, was killed on Sunday inside Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch.
Moreno was brandishing an AR-15 with the word “Palestine” written on the gunstock. She was wearing a black trench coat with her 7-year-old kid in tow. She reportedly entered Lakewood Church at 2 p.m. on Sunday and opened fire, hitting a 57-year-old man in the leg after having evaded a security officer.
Documents and interviews had identified the gunman as a female, according to police, but Moreno used many “aliases” and had gone by the name Jeffery. The police could not provide any other details on the suspected cause for the assault, but they did acknowledge that they were studying a series of “antisemitic” comments and pointed out that Moreno’s ex-husband had Jewish kin.
Moreno’s son was shot in the head during the crossfire and is in critical condition; two off-duty police officers shot and killed Moreno.
While Moreno insisted she had a bomb inside the building, she was splattering some type of substance on the ground. No incendiary device was found during the search of the church.
The authorities think Moreno acted alone and have not yet determined a motive. The incident may have been prompted by an argument between Moreno and her ex-husband’s family, which includes Jewish members. Authorities have chosen not to divulge the shooter’s remarks. The gunwoman had a lengthy criminal record dating back to 2005. She pled guilty to many charges, including illegally carrying a firearm, evading arrest, and assault on a public authority.
Although Moreno’s mental health history is well-documented, in 2016, the Houston police department issued an emergency detain order.
Linda Giutta, a fellow neighbor, said on Facebook that she and her neighbors had spoken to the police and the municipal council about their worries about Moreno.
On Monday, at a press conference, Police Chief Troy Finner said that the 7-year-old child is fighting for his life.
