Houston Police on Monday released body camera and surveillance footage of a shooting that left a woman dead and her son critically injured after she opened fire inside celebrity pastor Joel Osteen's megachurch in early February.
In the video posted on the Houston Police Department's Critical Incidents YouTube channel, Assistant Police Keith Seafus explained the releasing of the video is "intended to provide viewers with information about the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Feb. 11" and "it is important to know that the department is still in the very early stages of the investigation as they continue to review additional evidence."
Security camera footage from Lakewood, also released by police, showed the shooter, identified as 36-year-old Genesse Ivonne Moreno, arriving at the church in a white SUV and taking her 7-year-old son out of the back seat and walking toward the building just before 2 p.m. The woman was wearing a black shirt, striped pants, boots, and a loose-fitting tan-colored trench coat.
In the video footage, gunshots could be heard ringing throughout the church building as officers closed in on the source of the shooting.
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“Put the weapon down, now,” an officer can be heard shouting before firing his weapon. Another officer cautioned, “She may have a bomb.”
Additional security video from the church, which didn't have sound, showed the boy covering his ears after his mother walked off-screen. She then came near him and he reached his arms out to her. She then walked off-screen again. The boy appeared to be in a recessed doorway.
In the footage, Moreno could be heard saying, “You killed my son." She later said, “Stand down, I have a bomb. I have a (expletive) bomb.” Gunfire could be heard as she talked.
Authorities said off-duty Houston police officer Christopher Moreno and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Agent Adrian Herrera were guards inside the church and returned fire at the shooter. She was ultimately killed after being struck by gunfire.
During the shooting, the woman's son received a gunshot wound to the head, and investigators said they weren't sure if he was accidentally shot by one of them.
Images of the child, seen wearing orange pants and a yellow shirt, were blurred after he was wounded in the shooting. Paramedics were summoned by multiple officers, who requested help after seeing the young boy lying face-up in the carpeted hallway.
A 57-year-old man was also shot in the hip and was released from the hospital.
The motive for Moreno's attack, which sent worshippers rushing for safety in between services that day, remains unclear. The police chief said investigators also found antisemitic writings by the shooter.
During a press conference, Houston Police Commander Chris Hassig and others stated the AR-style rifle Moreno used in the shooting had a "Palestine" stick on the buttstock, and she had a history of mental illness, including being placed under emergency detention in 2016.
Chief Finner shared a statement on the social platform X on Monday, providing an update on the child's condition.
"No child should ever be placed in that position. He needs our support and prayers. We realize the video of the shooting may be unsettling to members of the community. HPD is releasing it as part of our commitment to release critical incident videos within 30 days. While we know there are unanswered questions, this is still an active investigation. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to thoroughly examine all aspects of this incident. Our partnership with religious institutions remains a priority. We will continue to work to enhance safety so that all who gather can do so safely and without fear."
In posts on Facebook from last week, Walli Carranza said that her grandson was breathing well on his own after doctors had removed a breathing tube.
“Will he be able to have any semblance of a normal life? I have no idea,” Carranza wrote in a post on Saturday.
On Sunday, Carranza said the boy had looked up at her and smiled for the first time. He has had six surgeries and remains in critical condition.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Lakewood Church Shooting
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