CRAZED CHURCH MA
‘Osteen’ shooter was ‘antisemitic’ madwoman
The woman who opened fire at Joel Osteen’s packed Houston-area megachurch Sunday, identified by authorities as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, previously penned antisemitic writings, had a recorded history of mental-health issues and used a weapon with a “Palestine” sticker on it in the brazen attack, officials said Monday.
Moreno entered Lakewood Church with a 7-year-old boy just before a Spanish-language service was due to begin at 2 p.m., and opened fire as hundreds of people were taking their pews.
Two off-duty officers working security at the church — Houston cop Christopher Moreno, who is not related to the shooter, and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Agent Adrian Herrera — returned fire and fatally shot Moreno, officials said at a Monday afternoon press briefing.
The boy, who was “fighting for his life,” suffered a gunshot wound to the head, Police Chief Troy Finner said Monday. He remained hospitalized in critical condition.
When asked whether the child was shot by an officer, Finner declined to speculate but said Sunday, “That female, that suspect, put that baby in danger. I’m going to put that blame on her.”
The boy’s relationship to Moreno, who was originally from El Salvador, was not immediately known.
Moreno had a criminal history dating to 2005, with charges of assaulting a public servant, assault causing bodily injury, forgery, possession of marijuana, theft, evading arrest and unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
In 2016, Moreno was put under an order for emotional detention, which meant officers transported her to a medical facility because she was deemed a danger to herself or others, Houston Police Officer Christopher Hassig said.
“We do believe that she does have a mental-health history that is documented through us and through interviews with family members,” Hassig said.
Police officials did not elaborate on the 2016 incident.
Addressing the discrepancies in Moreno’s identity Monday, Hassig said, “She used multiple aliases including Jeffery Escalante . . . Houston police report she has identified this entire time as female. She/her.”
Palestine link
A 2022 photo taken when Moreno was booked into jail at Fort Bend County, Texas, listed her sex as female, according to the website Mugshots Zone.
In addition, Hassig said Moreno had penned some “antisemitic writings” that were uncovered during the investigation.
Authorities now believe there was a “familial dispute” between Moreno’s ex-husband and his family, some of whom are Jewish, Hassig said.
“So we believe that might be where all of this stems from,” Hassig said. “We are going to be delving into that more.”
Moreno used an AR-15 rifle, legally purchased in December, in the shooting. A 22-caliber rifle was later discovered in her bag, which she did not fire, police said.
A 57-year-old civilian bystander also was shot in the leg during the shooting but has since been released from the hospital, authorities said.
Law-enforcement sources previously told ABC that Moreno’s gun had the words “Free Palestine” on it, but officials clarified Monday that there was a sticker on the rifle’s butt plate that read, “Palestine.”
Chilling video captured the start of the Spanish-language service suddenly being interrupted by a barrage of gunfire. Detectives said Moreno may have fired as many as 12 shots into the church before she was taken down.
Before Moreno died from her injuries, she poured an unknown substance on the floor and told officers there was a bomb, but a search by a hazmat team found no evidence of explosives.