Shooter at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood megachurch identified as seven-year-old victim fights for life – updates

The lead pastor of Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen, released a statement following the shooting on Sunday.

He encouraged the church and the community to “hold onto our faith and remember evil will not prevail.”

“Our community is devastated by today’s events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement. May the healing hands of God touch the lives of everyone involved and provide comfort during this difficult time.

In the face of such darkness, we must hold onto our faith and remember evil will not prevail. God will guide us through the darkest of times. Together, we will rise above this tragedy and stand firm in our commitment to love and support one another.

In times like these, our faith is tested, but it is also strengthened. We don’t always understand why things like this happen, but we know that God is in control.

Please join me in continued prayer for healing and peace.”

The shooter who opened fire inside Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston has now been identified by police as Genesse Ivonne Moreno – a 36-year-old “lone wolf” who allegedly took her own son to the church before embarking on the shooting using an assault-style rifle with the word “Palestine” across it.

Law enforcement officials held a press conference on Monday, one day after Moreno allegedly entered the megachurch with her seven-year-old son and opened fire with a rifle.

While the motive for the shooting remains unclear, investigators said that Moreno had a sticker which read “Palestine” on the butt stock of the rifle.

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The motive behind Sunday’s shooting at a Houston megachurch has not yet been determined, but police revealed some antisemitic writings found in her possession.

“We do believe that there was a familial dispute that has taken place between her ex-husband and her ex-husband’s family,” police said, adding that some are Jewish.

Officials revealed that Moreno had an AR15 with a ‘Palestine’ sticker.

Another weapon, a .22 rifle, was also found.

Authorities also uncovered anti-Semitic writings, but further details were not given.

The two off-duty cops who stopped the shooter were hailed as heroes at a press conference following Sunday’s shooting.

“What happened yesterday was the personification of heroism and valor,” he said, adding that the two off-duty officers “held ground” in the face of a rifle pointing at them at “point blank range,” Kevin Lilly, chairman of TABC, said.

“They were a wall that existed between worshippers and terror. Between freedom of religion and murder,” he said.

Officials revealed that Moreno had an AR15 with a ‘Palestine’ sticker.

Another weapon, a .22 rifle, was also found.

Authorities also uncovered anti-Semitic writings, but further details were not given.

Houston police confirmed that the shooter is the biological mother of the boy who was injured in the shooting at the church on Sunday.

He is in critical condition at a hospital.

Law enforcement officials identified the shooter as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, who previously has gone by other aliases.

“We want to stress that she acted alone,” he said.

Christopher Hassig with the Houston Police Department is giving new details about the shooting.

She gets out of white vehicle, pulls her 7-year-old child with her, confronts a security guard who lets her in on the west side of the building.

She immediately starts firing in the hallway outside the sanctuary.

Two officers returned fire.

She falls to the ground.

Child falls to the ground. One gunshot wound.

She is pronounced deceased.

Doug Williams, FBI special agent, called the actions of two off-duty police officers heroic after they took down the shooter and limited the number of victims.

“We are extremely thankful for them,” he said.

“If it weren’t for them, the amount of casualties would be greater.”

The police chief says it’s way too early to determine a motive in the Lakewood Church shooting.

FBI Agent Doug Williams reiterated this.

“It’s way too early to determine a motive for the shooter’s actions and we’re not in the business of speculating,” he said.