Court records unveiled on Monday identified Genesse Moreno, a 36-year-old with a history of arrests for assault, drug offenses, and weapons charges, as the alleged perpetrator behind the shooting at Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston.
Moreno, previously known as Jeffrey Escalante, was fatally shot by off-duty officers after entering Lakewood Church with an AR-15-style rifle during a Sunday service, resulting in injuries to two others.
A child, around five years old, is in critical condition, and a 56-year-old man is stable.
With 45,000 weekly attendees, Lakewood Church faced the gunfire during a service, with a motive yet to be disclosed by the police.
Moreno had a criminal record dating back to 2005, and law enforcement conducted raids connected to her overnight.
The incident rattled the Lakewood community, prompting Osteen to express the church’s determination to stay strong in the face of evil forces.
