Devendra Kumar
As the evening service came to a close at the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, the tranquil atmosphere typical of Sunday sermons was abruptly disrupted by a hail of gunfire. The once-peaceful sanctuary was transformed into a scene of chaos and destruction, leaving two people dead and a young boy fighting for his life. The gunman, a 36-year-old woman named Genesse Ivonne Moreno, stormed into the crowded church armed with an AR-style rifle, targeting innocent worshipers.
The sudden attack sent screams and panic through the congregation, as multiple shots rang out, leaving a man in his 50s injured with a gunshot wound to the hip. Miraculously, a young five-year-old boy, who was later identified as Moreno’s own son, was rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head. The boy’s condition was listed as critical.
The shooting, which occurred around 6:30 pm, took place during a smaller evening service, which could have potentially resulted in even more casualties if it had occurred during the more crowded late Sunday morning service. The church’s regular late morning service typically attracts a larger crowd, which could have been a much more devastating target for the assailant.
Lakewood Church, led by celebrity pastor Joel Osteen, has a global reach and broadcasts its services in about 100 countries. The church’s renovated arena cost nearly $100 million. Osteen, 60, took over the helm after his father’s passing in 1999. He has spoken publicly about the shooting, stressing that the violence could have been much worse if it had occurred during the earlier service.
The community is still reeling from the shocking incident, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the attack. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown, but Moreno had a history of mental illness, including a previous incident in 2016 where she was placed under emergency detention. As authorities work to unravel the events leading up to the shooting, the church community is left to grapple with the trauma and devastation left in the aftermath.