Lakewood Church, situated in Houston, Texas, holds a prominent status among mega-churches nationwide, with Joel Osteen serving as its pastor. A recent incident occurred where an assailant discharged a firearm within the premises, yet two individuals intervened, armed, averting a potential calamity.
Genesse Ivonne Moreno, aged 36, purportedly entered Lakewood Church on February 11 accompanied by her 7-year-old son as Spanish-speaking church proceedings commenced. According to the Houston Police Department, she was attired in a trench coat and carried a backpack. Allegedly, she brandished an AR-15 at a security guard, gaining unauthorized entry to the church premises, and subsequently initiated gunfire.
During the shooting incident, two off-duty police officers were present at the church providing security, one affiliated with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the other serving as a Houston officer. They promptly engaged the suspect with return fire. Moreno purportedly made a statement to the officers about possessing a bomb; however, subsequent investigation revealed no evidence supporting this assertion. The suspect was fatally shot at the location.
As per accounts, Moreno’s son sustained a gunshot wound to the head. He was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, and authorities have not clarified the circumstances surrounding his injury. The second victim, a man in his 50s, sustained a hip injury.
Authorities discovered a sticker associated with Palestine affixed to the suspect’s rifle, along with anti-Semitic text attributed to her.
Instances where armed individuals intervene in shootings at Texas churches are not unprecedented. In November 2017, Devin Kelley, a former US Air Force member, unleashed gunfire at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Tragically, he managed to claim the lives of 26 individuals, including an unborn child. However, former firearms instructor Stephen Willeford intervened by firing at Kelley from a distance across the street, striking him twice and prompting his retreat.
Willeford, accompanied by Johnnie Langendorff, pursued the shooter while maintaining communication with law enforcement, providing updates on his whereabouts. The assailant eventually crashed and took his own life. These incidents serve as compelling illustrations of the significance of the Second Amendment.
