Who is Genesee Moreno, Lakewood Church Shooter?

Genesee Moreno aka Jeffrey Moreno has been identified as the Lakewood Church shooter, a woman who was killed after attacking a Joel Osteen Church.

On Sunday, February 11th 2024, disturbing news emerged about the Lakewood church shooting perpetrated by Genesse Moreno.

She is accused of having entered the Lakewood Church of popular televangelist Joel Osteen in Houston, Texas around 2pm Sunday and opened fire with an AR-15.

Two off-duty police officers confronted her and shot her dead.

Genesee Moreno was with a child, later confirmed as her son, at the time of the shooting and the toddler got shot and is currently receiving treatment.

The Lakewood church shooter was initially not identified but her identity has now come out Monday and there is a rush to learn more about her.

In this article, we break down what we know about Genesse Moreno, the Lakewood church shooter.

Let’s dive right in!

Who is Genesee Moreno Lakewood shooter?

Genesee Moreno was an American woman in her early to mid-thirties who entered a Lakewood Church in Texas and opened fire.

According to online records, Genesee Moreno, who is Hispanic, has an extensive rap sheet and several mugshots.

Her rap sheet describes her as standing at 5’5” and weighing 190 lbs.

She was born Genesse Ivonne Moreno in El Salvador and reportedly goes by other names such as Jeffery Escalante and Jeffery Moreno Escalante.

Reporting on X identifies her as transgender – born female as Genesse Moreno but identifies as Jeffrey Moreno.

Genesee Moreno has been arrested about five times previously on offences such as evading arrest, marijuana possession, theft, forgery, assault and bodily harm and failure to stop and give info, spanning a time frame from 2005 till 2011.

In February 2024, Genesee Moreno hit the limelight proper after an attempted attack at a Lakewood Church owned by pastor Joel Osteen.

Moreno’s attack occurred Sunday, February 11th 2024 around 2pm.

Genesee Moreno reportedly walked into the church with an AR-15 rifle, wearing a trench coat, and holding a small child of about 7 years old (authorities initially incorrectly said he was 5 years old), whom authorities have now confined was her son.

Subsequent reporting confirmed she legally purchased the rifle.

Officers said she then opened fire in the church’s lobby.

Two off-duty police officers were in the church and opened fire on Moreno, killing her on the spot.

During the shootout, her 7-year-old son and a 56-year-old man were both hit by gunfire.

It is unclear if the victims were hit by bullets from the suspect’s gun or from the officers who were returning fire.

The two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

Moreno’s son is said to be in critical condition in hospital whilst the parishioner who was hit has been discharged.

According to authorities, Genesse Moreno claimed to have explosives in her car after being shot but nothing was found.

CNN reported that she had free Palestine written on her AR-15. Authorities are yet to reveal a motive but are looking into whether the attempted attack was a hate crime.

On Monday, authorities were searching a Conroe home belonging to Genesee Moreno.

According to reporting from ABC13 Houston, Moreno had anti-Semitic writings in her Conroe home, but authorities provided no further details than that.

Lakewood shooter Genesee Moreno transgender and also goes by Jeffery Moreno

According to X user Sara Gonzalez, host of Sara Gonzalez Unfiltered, Genesee Moreno was transgender and also went by Jeffery Moreno.

“🚨 BREAKING: Lakewood Church shooter identified as a transgender, legal name Genesee Moreno but went by the name “Jeffrey.” she wrote in a tweet showing a mugshot of the Lakewood shooter.

She added: “Previous mugshots show her looking much more feminine,”

More criminal history, per @houston_cf pic.twitter.com/gwNU5QmVZJ
— Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) February 12, 2024

Social media users exploded in reaction.

“Her poor child was with her and was shot. What do they say when her child asks for mom ? It breaks my heart,” one wrote.

Another wondered: “Did she really have free Palestine written on the 🔫?”

The Lakewood Church shooting unfolded during Sunday afternoon service when a woman opened fire at Lakewood Church, the renowned megachurch led by celebrity pastor Joel Osteen.

The suspect, described as a woman between 30 and 35 years old, wielded a long rifle and fired upon congregants, leaving the community in shock and authorities scrambling for answers.

The shooting occurred shortly before the church’s 2 p.m. Spanish language service was set to begin.

The shooter, Genesee Moreno aka Jeffrey Moreno, entered the church accompanied by her son, who we now know is 7 years old.

Investigators discovered a chilling message written on the gun: “free Palestine.” However, the motive behind the attack remains unknown.

Two off-duty officers, one from HPD and one from TABC, acting swiftly, returned fire and neutralized the suspect.

The HPD officer who opened fire toward the woman has been described as 28 years old with two years of service.

The TABC agent who opened fire is 38 years old with four years of service and was identified Monday as Agent Adrian Herrera.

He was working off-duty as a security officer at the church.

Tragically, the child was also shot and is now hospitalized in critical condition.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the possible shooter was down after being shot by law enforcement.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner praised the quick actions of the off-duty officers who confronted the shooter. He also revealed that a parishioner was shot in the leg during the incident.

“I don’t want to talk about her motivations because I don’t know. Right?” said HPD Chief Troy Finner.

“We may never know the full story. But the important message is, we’re going to stand together as a city. We’re going to stand with this church today and the pastor, to make sure that healing begins immediately.”

Authorities are feverishly combing through the suspect’s social media and writings, seeking clues to her motivations. Her history of arrests is also being reviewed.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has called for an investigation into whether the shooting was a hate crime, given that it occurred during an all-Spanish service.

“Our community is devastated by today’s events and grateful for the swift actions of law enforcement. We stand with the Lakewood congregation as they recover from this terrifying day,” she said.

Joel Osteen (via Social Media) also said: “Please join me in continued prayer for healing and peace”.

As the investigation unfolds, the Lakewood community grapples with shock and grief. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

Recent shootings in the United States

The attempted shooting by Genesee Moreno is just the latest in a long line of gun violence plaguing the United States.

The United States has witnessed several devastating mass shootings recently.

Here are some notable incidents from the past 12 months:

Henryetta, Oklahoma:

An Oklahoma sex offender shot his wife, her three children, and their two friends in the head on April 30 before taking his own life. The victims’ bodies were found in a heavily wooded area on a rural Oklahoma property.

Cleveland, Texas:

On April 28, a man shot and killed five of his neighbors, including a 9-year-old boy. The neighbors had asked him to stop firing rounds in his yard because a baby was trying to sleep. The shooter was arrested after a multi-day manhunt.

Bowdoin, Maine

On April 18, four people were killed in a home, and three others were wounded by gunfire on a busy highway in a neighboring community. A man who had been released from prison a few days earlier is charged in the killings.

Dadeville, Alabama

On April 15, four young people were killed, and 32 others were wounded by gunfire at a girl’s Sweet 16 party in Dadeville. Police arrested two teenagers and a 20-year-old man on murder charges.

Louisville, Kentucky

On April 10, an employee shot and killed five people and wounded eight others inside the Old National Bank in Louisville while livestreaming the attack. Police later shot and killed the gunman.

Nashville, Tennessee

On March 27, three students and three adults were killed inside The Covenant School in Nashville. The suspect, a former student, was killed by police.

Half Moon Bay, California

On January 23, a farmworker killed seven people in back-to-back shootings at two Northern California mushroom farms. He is facing charges.

Monterey Park, California

On January 21, a 72-year-old man killed 11 people and wounded nine others in a shooting at a Lunar New Year dance in Monterey Park.

These tragic events highlight the urgent need for addressing gun violence and ensuring the safety of communities across the nation. 🕊️🇺🇸

Conroe

Conroe, Texas is the current residence of Lakewood shooter Genesee Moreno.

Conroe is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas, United States, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Houston. It is a principal city in the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area.

As of 2023, the population was 103,035.

Since 2007, the city has increased in size (and population) by annexation, with the city territory expanding from 52.8 to 74.4 square miles.

Some communities have attempted to fight such annexation. According to the Census Bureau, Conroe was the fastest-growing large city in the United States between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016.

The city is named after Isaac Conroe. Born in the North, he served as a Union Cavalry officer and settled in Houston after the Civil War. There he became a lumberman.

Conroe founded a sawmill in this area in 1881.

The community built its early economy and wealth on the lumber industry.

Originally named “Conroe’s Switch”, the community received an influx of workers and residents in the late 19th century who were attracted to the growth of the lumber industry, which harvested the local piney wood forest.

The city is about 40 miles (64 km) north of Houston.

Conroe is in the southwest corner of the East Texas Piney Woods.

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CORRECTION(s): This article has been updated to reflect the most up-to-date information