In an alarming incident at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, a 36-year-old woman unleashed gunfire, leading to her death. Amidst this unimaginable chaos, a 7-year-old, tragically caught in the crossfire, sustained a critical head injury from a gunshot.

FOX 26
FOX 26
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Here is what we know so far:

  • The shooter has been identified as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, also known as Jeffrey Escalante, according to an affidavit for a search warrant.
  • Moreno, who had a history of criminal activity starting from 2005, was armed with a long rifle and accompanied by a 7-year-old child when she entered the church just before 2 p.m. on Sunday and began shooting.
  • Two individuals were injured in the incident: a 7-year-old boy and a 57-year-old man.
  • The 7-year-old was struck in the head by a gunshot and is in critical condition.
  • The 57-year-old man was shot in the leg and is in stable condition.
  • Two off-duty law enforcement officers engaged Moreno and fatally shot her.
  • Moreno had 2 weapons on her, an AR-15 and a 22-caliber rifle.
  • A pro-Palestinian message was written on the gun used by Moreno.
  • Detectives estimate that as many as 12 shots were fired, and the investigation into Moreno's motive is ongoing.
  • Moreno claimed to have a bomb, but no explosives were found. Additionally, she allegedly spread some type of substance on the ground, prompting a response from HAZMAT and decontamination units, which found nothing of concern.
  • The incident unfolded during a Spanish-language service and was heard on the church's livestream, as thousands were inside the megachurch.
  • Following the shooting, law enforcement agencies, including Montgomery County deputies, the FBI, and others, executed a search warrant at Moreno's residence in Conroe, TX. The search included the home, an attached garage, and Moreno's dark-colored sedan, to find evidence linked to the shooting.
  • The investigation into why Moreno decided to carry out the shooting at Lakewood Church and the specifics of the evidence found at her home or in her vehicle is still ongoing.

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