Houston, Texas – Two off-duty law enforcement officers intervened and subdued a woman who opened fire at Lakewood Church, a prominent evangelical church in the United States, led by televangelist Joel Osteen, according to police.
The incident took place on Sunday when a woman in her early 30s, accompanied by a child, entered the megachurch armed with a long rifle and began firing. The woman was identified as 36-year-old Genesse Moreno, who had a history of mental illness and had reportedly expressed “antisemitic writings.”
Authorities stated that Moreno had a seven-year-old son in tow, who was critically injured during the shooting. The off-duty officers, working as security at the church, exchanged fire with and ultimately killed Moreno in the hallway of the church as worshippers were arriving for a Spanish language service.
It was revealed that Moreno’s motive is still under investigation, with law enforcement considering possibilities such as a family dispute, her history of mental illness, and a potential opinion about the conflict in Gaza, as indicated by a sticker on the gun she used in the shooting.
The rare occurrence of a female shooter in a mass shooting incident in the United States has drawn attention to the investigation. The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center reported that 96% of mass attackers from 2016-2020 were male, making Moreno’s actions a departure from the typical profile of mass attackers.
The search for a motive and understanding of Moreno’s actions continues, with authorities aiming to uncover how she obtained her weapons and what led to the tragic events at the church. Meanwhile, the critically injured 7-year-old boy remains in hospital as the community grapples with the aftermath of the shooting.