On Feb 11, 2024, 36-year-old Genesse Ivonne Moreno opened fire around 11 a.m. at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood megachurch in Houston. Moreno was killed at the scene, and her son, who was with her, was injured, along with a 57-year-old man attending services. Here’s what’s known about Moreno’s background.
The AP reports that Moreno used an AR-15-style rifle in the shooting, purchased legally. She also had a .22 caliber rifle with her at the time. Early reports said there was a “Free Palestine” sticker on the weapon, but that was later confirmed to read “Palestine.” Anti-semitic writings were also found, investigators said.
Two off-duty police officers working security at Osteen’s church shot and killed Moreno. Her 7-year-old son, meanwhile, was shot in the head, and remains in critical condition as of this writing. One man inside the church was hit in the leg and was treated for his injuries.
Days later, a motive for Moreno’s attack remains unclear. There had, however, been a recent argument between her, her ex-husband, and his family, some of whom are Jewish, as reported to CNN.
Moreno’s criminal record
The Texas Department of Public Safety says that Genesse Moreno had a criminal record dating back twenty years, including marijuana possession, assault, illegal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, and forgery. In 2022, she was arrested on a misdemeanor weapons possession charge. Moreno was also in a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband and his family and had represented herself during the divorce.
At the Lakewood church shooting, Moreno also claimed to have a bomb, but no explosives were found. Many reports have said she sprayed something on the floor of the church, but it’s unclear what that was. In the aftermath, authorities said they believed Moreno acted alone, that she was not part of a larger group, and there was no continued threat to the community.
Moreno’s mental health history
Based on Genesse Moreno’s social media accounts, she has struggled with mental health issues, and she had been detained in the past for mental health reasons, according to Houston authorities. She was known to use both male and female aliases. According to Moreno’s social media, she worked in real estate. In 2020, she shared she donated to Osteen’s Lakewood church. Farrah Signorelli, a teacher at Moreno’s son’s school, told The Times Moreno stalked and harassed her.
Moreno opened fire at Lakewood between services, one of the country’s largest megachurches, with weekly services attended by as many as 45,000 people. Spanish-language services were about to begin. On whether Moreno’s attack could be a hate crime, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said, “I just want us to simply wait on the facts,” The New York Times reported.
