Gunman with ‘Palestine’ Sticker Opens Fire at Texas Megachurch
In a shocking incident that unfolded on Sunday, a woman named Genesse Moreno opened fire inside Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Armed with an AR-15 rifle adorned with a sticker that read “Palestine,” Moreno unleashed chaos and terror within the walls of the megachurch. The incident has left the community reeling and searching for answers.
Neighbors of Moreno have come forward, recounting the red flags they noticed about her over the years. She had a lengthy criminal record and had used multiple male aliases. Several neighbors claim that she had harassed and threatened them for four years, even going as far as scrawling swastikas on one neighbor’s property. The sense of fear and unease surrounding Moreno was palpable.
On the day of the shooting, Moreno entered the Lakewood Church dressed in a trench coat and backpack, with her 7-year-old son in tow. She began firing shots, prompting two off-duty officers to return fire. Moreno was pronounced dead at the scene, but tragically, her young son was caught in the crossfire and sustained a gunshot wound to the head. He is currently in critical condition.
A 57-year-old man was also injured during the shooting, suffering a gunshot wound to the leg. Fortunately, he has been released from the hospital and is expected to recover. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, as Lakewood Church is one of the largest Christian churches in the United States, led by renowned pastor Joel Osteen.
Disturbing revelations have emerged regarding the handling of Moreno’s case by authorities. Court documents reveal that she was investigated in January 2020 for child neglect and endangerment. Her former mother-in-law, Walli Carranza, alleges that Moreno was abusive toward her ex-husband and their child. However, a Texas child services investigator claimed they did not have the authority or resources to handle her case.
According to Carranza’s affidavit, the investigator callously stated, “Guns are legal in Texas, and you don’t have to have a license for them. She has the right to own 40 of them, and we can’t do anything about it.” This shocking response has raised questions about the effectiveness of current gun laws and the ability of authorities to intervene in potentially dangerous situations.
Moreno’s troubled past and alarming behavior have also come to light. She had a history of frequently moving houses, making it difficult for her child to be found. Her former mother-in-law alleges that Moreno repeatedly threatened to abduct their son out of state or even out of the country. The court documents also accuse Moreno of filing a false birth certificate and intentionally making her son sick, a condition known as Munchausen Syndrome by proxy.
The incident has reignited the debate surrounding red flag laws. These laws allow judges to temporarily restrict someone’s access to firearms if their behavior poses an imminent risk to themselves or others. However, Texas Republicans have long opposed such laws, arguing that they infringe on Second Amendment rights. Governor Greg Abbott attempted to pass a red flag law in 2018 but faced backlash from his own party.
Video footage obtained by ABC 13 shows Moreno preparing for the attack just hours before it occurred. In the footage, she can be seen loading her car while using a blue tarp to conceal her actions. The chilling images capture the moments leading up to the tragic event.
Authorities have been tight-lipped about their interactions with Moreno and the events surrounding the shooting. The Conroe Police Department, which had received multiple calls related to Moreno’s home over the past three years, maintains that they acted correctly in their dealings with her. However, questions remain about whether more could have been done to prevent this horrific incident.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of the Lakewood Church shooting, one thing is clear – the need for a comprehensive examination of gun laws, mental health resources, and the ability of authorities to intervene in potentially dangerous situations. The tragedy has left many questioning how a person with a troubled past and a history of threatening behavior was able to obtain a firearm and carry out such a violent act. Only through reflection and action can we hope to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future.
