‘Father God, just be with us’
The Houston Police Department released body camera footage on Monday, of the response to an active shooter who opened fire at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church earlier this month.
At 1:53 p.m. on Feb. 11, Genesse Ivonne Moreno, originally from El Salvador, began shooting a gun at the mega church before ultimately being shot and killed by off-duty police officers on the scene.
Moreno also had her 7-year-old son in tow, who was shot in the head and continues to fight for his life.
In a social media post, the Houston Police Department released video captured from the moment gunfire rang out in the western halls of the church, until the shooter was down.
“We realize the video of this 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,” Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on social media.
The four videos released by the department show various aspects of the incident, including surveillance footage and body camera footage from three law enforcement officials.
In one video, a group of people, including law enforcement officials, are standing around talking when gunshots are heard down the hallway.
As soon as the first gunshot is heard, the group looks toward the direction it came from and begins walking that way.
The officer with the body camera began running in the direction of the shot when more gunshots were fired, and people began to run in the opposite direction.
With several people taking cover, the officer pulled out a gun and began walking toward the shooter, though Moreno was not in sight.
More gunshots rang out as she and others moved toward the shooter, whispering and hiding behind any object possible.
“Come on. We need to approach,” one officer whispers to the other before praying. “Father God, just be with us. Forgive us for our sins. Come on.”
The two move closer where they found the 7-year-old boy lying on the ground, nearly lifeless.
What we know about the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Houston church
Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, has been identified as the suspect who opened fire at Joel Osteen’s church in Houston, Texas on Feb. 11, 2023, before she was fatally shot by police officers.
Moreno walked into Lakewood Church, with a 7-year-old boy, before a Spanish-language service started at 2 p.m. She then started shooting as hundreds of people were taking their seats.
A 57-year-old man, described as a bystander, was shot in the leg and transported to a local hospital. The 7-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to the head and is currently in critical condition.
A witness told ABC 13 that she heard gunshots from the choir room, which sent churchgoers into a panic.
“The whole church started praying and declaring Jesus’ name,” she said. “I was like, ‘This might be the last time I get to pray, that I get to glorify the name of Jesus, so I’m going to do this.’”
Osteen, 60, said during a press conference Sunday that the tragedy could have been much worse had it happened during the earlier or later Sunday services, which draw larger crowds.
Police say Moreno claimed to have a bomb and sprayed an unknown substance on the ground before she was shot dead. The 36-year-old has a record of mental health issues and reportedly used a weapon with a “Palestine” sticker during the shooting.
Detectives said Moreno may have fired as many as 12 shots into the church before she was taken down.
In another video taken from a body camera, the officer is seen hiding behind a wall and peeking out, when the shooter starts firing.
Moreno is later heard saying, “You killed my son. Stand down. I have a bomb. I have a f—–g bomb.”
In between statements, Moreno continued to fire her gun.
“All I need is help,” she said. “I need help, that’s all.”
The gun fires off a few more times.
“There’s a bomb in this bag. Stop shooting,” she yelled, though officers shouted back to put the weapon down. “I won’t. The bomb is going to go off.”
More gunshots are fired when the officer with the camera notices the shooter is down before moving back with the other officers.
Video surveillance from the church also captured the moment the shooter opened fire, as people quickly scrambled to get out of the way and to safety.
The video also showed the moment Moreno fell to the ground because of gunfire.
“While we know there are unanswered questions, this is still an active investigation,” Finner said. “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 enhance safety so that all who gather can do so safely and without fear.”
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