On Sunday, February 12th, 2024, Genesse Ivonne Moreno entered Joel Osteen's Lakewood megachurch in Houston, Texas with her seven-year-old son and opened fire shortly before the church's Spanish language service was scheduled to begin. According to police reports, Moreno had a history of mental health issues and criminal charges including possession of marijuana, assault, and illegal possession of a weapon.
Moreno was shot and killed by two off-duty officers after she opened fire inside the church. Her son was caught in the crossfire and is currently fighting for his life after being shot in the head. Another man attending the church was also injured but has since been released from the hospital.
Police have not yet determined an official motive behind Sunday's shooting, but they believe that there was a familial dispute between Moreno and her ex-husband's family. Some of Moreno's family members are Jewish, and she had displayed antisemitic writings in the past.
Residents in a small neighborhood near Conroe, Texas reported that Moreno harassed, threatened, and displayed firearms towards six women for several years leading up to the shooting. Jill, the president of the neighborhood association stated that 'No one should have died. No one should have been hurt. This should have been handled years ago.'
Moreno was carrying an AR-15 rifle with a Palestine sticker attached and a .22 caliber weapon at the time of the shooting.
The investigation is ongoing, and both officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative duty pending further investigation.