Tragic shooting at Texas megachurch leaves 1 dead and 2 injured

The tranquility of Lakewood megachurch was shattered when Genesse Ivonne Moreno, armed and with a troubled past, opened fire, injuring her son, before being stopped by security

A tragic incident unfolded at one of the largest mega-churches in the United States Sunday when Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, opened fire with an AR-style rifle.

Moreno had a history of mental illness and brought their young son to the scene of the attack, resulting in critical injuries to the child.

Houston Police Commander Chris Hassig identified Moreno, who was killed by security officers during the incident. The attack, which occurred between services at Lakewood Church, led to a tense gun battle in a church hallway. Thankfully, the violence did not reach the main sanctuary.

Moreno used both male and female aliases, identified as female, and was not a known member of Pastor Joel Osteen’s congregation.

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, though authorities are investigating a possible dispute involving Moreno’s ex-husband’s family, alongside the discovery of antisemitic writings and a “Palestine” sticker on the rifle.

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Chairperson Kevin Lilly described the confrontation as a standoff between “worshippers and terror.”

Off-duty Houston police officer Christopher Moreno and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Agent Adrian Herrera handled it. They successfully contained the situation, but not before a 57-year-old man was also injured.

Celebrity pastor Joel Osteen leads Lakewood Church with around 45,000 attendees each week. Osteen emphasized that the incident could have been more devastating had it occurred during a more extensive service.

Source: Newsroom