After a tragic shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood megachurch, authorities revealed new details about the case at a Monday press conference — including the shooters’ identity and updates on the 7-year-old child who was critically injured.
On Sunday afternoon, a woman with a young child opened fire at Osteen’s megachurch. The incident occurred as the church was preparing to switch to the Spanish version of its services. The timing likely saved lives, as fewer people were at the church.
At the Monday press conference, law enforcement identified the shooter as Genesse Ivonne Moreno and confirmed that the young boy with her was her son.
Moreno’s son, who is only seven years old, was shot in the head during the shooting and is in critical condition. Police did not confirm if they were the ones who shot the 7-year-old. He remains in critical condition as of Monday. However, a 57-year-old man who was shot in the hip was discharged from the hospital.
Moreno was killed in the shootout with law enforcement.
Authorities said that they had not narrowed down a motive for the shooting. However, they are looking into her mental health history as well as a dispute with her ex-husband’s family.
It’s also unclear if Osteen, an influential televangelist, was a target. Osteen is one of the wealthiest pastors in the United States and has been the source of both admiration and controversy. Osteen was heavily criticized for his initial response to Hurricane Harvey, with critics arguing that the church should have opened its doors to flood victims. The church later provided significant reconstruction funds post-Hurricane to the Houston community, prompting Houston’s mayor to proclaim a “Lakewood Church Day.”
Regardless of the motive, the shooting is sure to shake the tens of thousands of Lakewood congregants.
“We’re devastated,” Osteen told CNN. “We’ve been here 65 years, and to have somebody shooting at your church.”