HOUSTON, Texas – A shooting at a Texas megachurch on Sunday left a young boy critically injured, with authorities revealing that the shooter was the boy’s own parent. The gunman, identified as 36-year-old Genesse Ivonne Moreno, used an AR-style rifle before being killed by off-duty officers working security at the church.
According to police, Moreno had a history of mental illness and had previously been placed under emergency detention in 2016. However, investigators had yet to determine the shooter’s motive. The shooter’s son remained in critical condition on Monday with a gunshot wound to the head.
Moreno began shooting before being confronted by two off-duty officers, who returned fire, said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner. Despite the shooter’s claim of having a bomb, no explosives were found on the scene. The quick action of the officers in taking down the shooter was commended by authorities at the scene.
The celebrity pastor of the church, Joel Osteen, has led the church to significant growth since taking over in 1999. With weekly attendance of 45,000 people, it is the third-largest megachurch in the U.S., hosting televised services that reach about 100 countries. The church’s central campus is a renovated building that was once the arena home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets.
Authorities have not specified how the boy was injured, and it remains unclear whether he was shot by one of the off-duty officers returning fire on the suspect. The incident has raised concerns and questions about security measures at the megachurch going forward.