A tragic event shook the city of Houston, Texas, yesterday, Sunday, February 11, when a shooting occurred at Lakewood Church, one of the most prominent evangelical congregations in the area. The religious community was shaken when an armed individual, later identified as 35-year-old Genesse Moreno, a transgender person legally known as Jeffrey, opened fire inside the facility.
According to reports from Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, Moreno entered the temple moments before 2 in the afternoon, accompanied by a child of approximately five years old. He carried a long gun and a backpack on his back, unleashing chaos and terror among parishioners who were preparing to participate in the religious service.
Genesse Moreno called himself Jeffrey Escalante Moreno, among other aliases, and was from El Salvador. The child that Moreno took to the church was wounded by a gunshot. The boy remains in critical condition at a local hospital. A 57-year-old man was also shot in the leg and taken to a hospital for treatment.
The shooting took place just before the Spanish Mass began, a circumstance that Pastor Joel Osteen, leader of Lakewood Church, said could have been even more catastrophic if the incident had occurred during the morning Mass, which typically attracts a greater number of faithful.
The result of the attack was devastating. The child accompanying Moreno was seriously injured and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is in critical condition. For his part, the shooter was killed at the scene by one of the Harris County sheriff’s deputies, Ed González, who quickly responded to the emergency situation.
Lakewood Church, founded in 1959 by televangelist John Osteen and currently led by his son, Joel Osteen, is one of the largest and best-known evangelical congregations in the United States. Its religious services are broadcast to millions of people around the world, which has made the church a symbol of faith and hope for many.
Multiple witnesses to the shooting have shared their experiences, describing scenes of panic and confusion inside the facility as they tried to get to safety. One woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted how she and other parishioners were sheltered by a church volunteer in a safe room while gunshots rang out.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident to determine the motive behind the attack and whether Moreno acted alone or if accomplices were involved. Meanwhile, the Lakewood Church community joins together in prayer for the injured child and all those affected by this senseless tragedy.
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