Shooter at Joel Osteen’s mega-church in Houston with ‘Palestine’ on rifle had mental health issues, antisemitic writings – cops

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, opened fire at Joel Osteen’s packed Houston-area mega-church on Sunday

Moreno who previously penned antisemitic writings, had a recorded history of mental health issues and used a weapon with a “Palestine” sticker in the brazen attack

Moreno entered Lakewood Church just before a Spanish-language service was due to begin at 2 p.m. with a 7-year-old boy, and opened fire as hundreds of people were taking their pews

Two law enforcement officers returned fire and fatally shot Moreno

Shooter’s 7-year-old companion said to be her son, is currently “fighting for his life” in hospital having sustained a gunshot wound to the head

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, [photo], 36, at Joel Osteen’s packed mega-church, in Lakewood Church. Fort Bend County on Sunday Feb 11

The woman who opened fire at a packed Houston-area mega-church on Sunday, has been identified by authorities as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, a 36-year-old woman with a history of mental illness..
Moreno previously penned antisemitic writings, had a recorded history of mental health issues and used a weapon with a “Palestine” sticker in the brazen attack, officials said Monday. 
Moreno, who at other times has used the alias Jeffery Escalante, entered Lakewood Church just before a Spanish-language service was due to begin at 2 p.m. with a 7-year-old boy, and opened fire as hundreds of people were taking their pews. The child shot at Lakewood authorities said, was Moreno’s son.
Dressed in a trench coat and carrying a backpack, Moreno stormed Osteen’s Lakewood Church just before 2 p.m. with the boy, about 4 or 5 years old, and began shooting before two off-duty law enforcement officers working security at the church returned fire, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at a news briefing Sunday.

The shooter claimed to also have a bomb and sprayed an unknown substance on the ground before she was shot dead, the chief
HPD officer Christopher Moreno, [no relation to the shooter], and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Agent Adrian Herrera, returned fire and fatally shot Moreno.
A 57-year-old male bystander, was shot in the leg and transported to a local hospital in stable condition, Finner said.

Lakewood Church prelate Pastor Joel Osteen believes the violence could have been worse had the shooting happened during an earlier service

The young boy who accompanied Moreno, is currently “fighting for his life” sustained a gunshot wound to the head, Police Chief Troy Finner said Monday. He remains hospitalized in critical condition. 
What is not clear is the source of the gunfire that injured the child.
As of Monday morning, a possible motive behind the violence had been released
Moreno had a criminal history dating back to 2005 and was previously arrested under the name Jeffery Escalante, according to KHOU.

Moreno previously penned antisemitic writings, had a recorded history of mental health issues and used a weapon with a “Palestine” sticker. She was killed in Sunday’s brazen attack, at a Houston area mega church [photo]. Moreno had a criminal history dating back to 2005 and was previously arrested under the name Jeffery Escalante

Addressing the discrepancies in Moreno’s identity on Monday, HPD Officer Christopher Hassig noted, “She used multiple aliases including Jeffery Escalante… Houston police report she has identified this entire time as female. She/her.” 
The website Mugshots Zone, published a photo taken when Moreno was booked into jail at Fort Bend County, Texas, which lists her sex as female. Hassig noted that Moreno had a mental health history that was “documented with police.” 
He also said that she had penned some “antisemitic writings” that were uncovered during their investigation. 
Authorities now believe there was a “familial dispute” between Moreno’s ex-husband and his family, some of whom are Jewish, Hassig said. 

Congregants gather outside the church after two off-duty officers confronted the active shooter and killed Moreno on the spot

“So we believe that might be where all of this stems from,” Hassig said. “We are going to be delving into that more. But we do want to stress that she acted alone.”
A 22-caliber rifle was later discovered in her bag, which she did not fire, police said. 
One 57-year-old civilian bystander who was also shot in the leg was treated but has since been released from the hospital.
Law enforcement sources previously told ABC that Moreno’s gun said “Free Palestine,” however, officials clarified Monday that there was a sticker on the rifle’s butt plate that read “Palestine.”
Chilling video captured the start of a Spanish-language service suddenly being interrupted by a barrage of gunfire. Detectives said Moreno may have fired as many as 12 shots into the church before she was stopped. 

Records show that Genesse Ivonne Moreno had a tumultuous divorce, custody battle and a list of prior arrests

Before Moreno died from her injuries, she poured an unidentified substance on the floor and told officers that there was a bomb. However, a hazmat team conducted a search and did not turn up evidence of explosives. 
“I can safely say there was no risk of exposure to any chemical or product that may have been present to anybody who was at the church,” according to Fire Chief Sam Peña. . 

Parishioners outside television evangelist Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, after the shooting incident

Hours after the shooting, FBI agents and other law enforcement searched Moreno’s home in Conroe. Authorities said they have reason to believe there are guns, ammunition and explosive materials inside the home. A car was also towed away from the home, the station reported. 
Lakewood mega-church owner Joel Osteen, 60, said during a press conference Sunday that the tragedy could have been much worse had it happened during the earlier or later Sunday services, which draw larger crowds. 
The mass shooting happened between the English and Spanish-language services at the mega-church.
Pastor Joel Osteen, 60, said during a press briefing Sunday that that tragedy could have been worse if the shooting had happened during the earlier and larger late Sunday morning service.
“I could only imagine … if it would have happened during the 11 o’clock service,” he said at the scene.
The church, founded by Joel Osteen’s late father. One of the top three mega-churches in the US, it is regularly attended by 45,000 people weekly.