Houston (AP) — Almost a week after a woman opened fire at the Texas megachurch of well-known pastor Joel Osteen, concerns remain over the reason for the attack and how someone with a criminal misdemeanor record and a history of mental illness could have obtained her firearms. According to police, on February 11th, Genesse Moreno used an AR-style weapon that she had legally purchased in an incident that left her 7-year-old son and a guy at the Houston church critically injured. The security guard shot her, ending the onslaught.
Officials from the church and law enforcement expressed relief that the death toll and injuries had not increased noticeably. The gunshot never made it to the main sanctuary; instead, it occurred in a hallway shortly before a service began. Sunday’s 11 a.m. service, according to a video message Osteen uploaded on social media, will commemorate a “time of healing and restoration.”
We never imagined that we would have to deal with the challenges we have faced this week. However, as we look back, we can see God’s faithfulness and how he has been watching over and protecting us,” stated Osteen. Here are some details regarding the shooting:
WHAT HAPPENED ON FEB. 11?
Moreno drove up to the massive church, formerly the home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, just before 2 p.m.
Wearing a trench coat and backpack, she pointed a gun at an unarmed security guard to get in the building and then opened fire. Moreno also carried a .22 caliber rifle that police said she did not use.
Moreno was killed in exchange of gunfire with security — a Houston police officer and an agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Her son Samuel, who Moreno brought with her to the church, was struck in the head. A man in his 50s was shot in the hip.
Osteen was in the building but on a different floor.
