HOUSTON — The woman who opened fire at a Texas megachurch before being shot dead by two security guards was carrying an AR-style rifle, according to search warrant documents released Monday by prosecutors.
The attacker was identified as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, in a search warrant for a home in Conroe, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Houston. The search warrant was released by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.
Sunday’s shooting forced parishioners to run from celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church. Authorities still do not know the motive for the attack.
The search warrant requests the assistance of the FBI to extract any data contained in electronic devices found in the home.
Authorities have said a 5-year-old boy who entered the church with the woman, and a man in his 50s, were injured. The child is in critical condition, they added.
The facts
The attacker arrived at the door of this temple with a capacity for 16,800 people around two in the afternoon on Sunday. He had “long weapons,” Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at a press conference.
He was carrying a minor between 4 and 5 years old, whose relationship was not reported. The woman started shooting and she was shot dead by two off-duty police officers who were providing security at the temple. In the exchange of shots, “unfortunately, the minor was injured and is in a critical situation (…) A man of about 57 years old, who had nothing to do with the incident, was hit in the leg,” explained the chief. police.
The shooter was carrying a backpack, and before dying she made reference to the possible existence of a bomb. But after a general inspection, nothing was found.
“When I entered I saw people running saying: they’re shooting, and I could hear gunshots. We tried to open some doors in the hallway but they were locked. Some went out to look for their cars, but others like me didn’t know where to go. A volunteer who works in “The church sheltered us in a room and asked us to go into the bathrooms,” a woman told KHOU TV station.
“Don’t open it to anyone until we come, they told us. They moved some furniture to lock the doors. On the third and fourth floors there were children, the parents were worried about the children, we put things in God’s hands,” explained the women.
Lakewood Church was founded by televangelist John Osteen in 1959. It is currently led by his son, fellow preacher and writer Joel Osteen, broadcasting its services to millions of people.
Service in Spanish
The shooting began just before the start of a Spanish service. “I can’t imagine if this had happened during the 11 a.m. service, we thank God for that,” said Joel Osteen, 60, who has stayed out of the political debate.
“We don’t understand why these things happen, but we know that God is in control,” he said at a news conference. He added that he would pray for both the victims and the attacker.
Source: With information from AP and AFP
