Genesse Moreno : Texas Church Shooter: Mental Illness and Criminal History Raises Questions – WPXI

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Accident – Death – Obituary News :

HOUSTON — The shooter who opened fire at a Houston megachurch before being gunned down by security officers used an AR-style rifle that police say she legally purchased despite a years-long criminal record, a history of mental illness, and allegations she threatened to shoot her ex-husband.

Genesse Moreno, 36, entered celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church on Sunday with her 7-year-old son and began firing in a hallway, sending worshippers scrambling for safety. Moreno did not reach the main sanctuary and was killed after exchanging gunfire with two off-duty officers. Her son was critically injured after being shot in the head.

Questions Surrounding the Motive and Firearm Acquisition

Key questions remained Tuesday about Moreno’s motive in the shooting, and police have given no details about where and how she obtained the rifle in December. The shooting joins others in Texas and elsewhere that have involved shooters who legally obtained guns despite criminal history and mental health problems.

Authorities have confirmed that Moreno legally purchased an AR-style rifle, but they did not specify if it was through a retail purchase or a private sale. Texas law does not require a license to carry a rifle or handgun in public.

History of Criminal Record and Mental Illness

Moreno’s criminal record included charges for forging a $100 bill, a 2009 assault conviction, and a 2022 misdemeanor count for unlawfully carrying a weapon. In a guilty plea to the misdemeanor count, she surrendered a pistol and a rifle that were found during a traffic stop.

Wesley Wittig, a Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office prosecutor, stated that Moreno’s mental health history did not come up in the case. He also highlighted the lack of a comprehensive mental health tracking system to flag such issues.

Failure to Take Action: Allegations of Threats and Carelessness

Moreno’s former mother-in-law, Walli Carranza, said she had repeatedly tried to alert authorities about the danger Moreno posed, but no action was taken. In court filings connected to Moreno’s 2022 divorce, Carranza alleged that Moreno had a history of threatening people with guns and being careless with their storage around her young son.

Carranza claimed that in January 2020, she witnessed an unlocked gun in her grandson’s diaper bag. She alleged that Moreno pulled out the gun and threatened to shoot her ex-husband while their son slept in the back seat of their car. Carranza reported the incident to Child Protective Services (CPS) in Texas, but was informed that no action could be taken unless Moreno shot someone or her grandson used the gun.

Melissa Landford, spokesperson for the state Department of Family and Protective Services, stated that CPS was investigating the shooting alongside law enforcement and could not provide further information due to confidentiality reasons.

Advocacy for Stronger Gun Control Measures

In a statement posted on Facebook, Carranza blamed CPS for not taking any action and called for stronger gun control measures. She emphasized the need to prioritize the First Amendment right to life over the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Nicole Golden, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, an organization advocating for background checks and tougher gun restrictions, stated that Texas lawmakers have resisted passing “red flag” laws. These laws allow law enforcement or family members to request the seizure or surrender of guns from individuals deemed dangerous due to mental health concerns or threats of violence.

Previous Incidents of Gun Violence in Texas

Texas has witnessed other major shootings involving individuals who legally obtained guns despite documented criminal and mental health histories. The 2017 shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, where 26 people were killed and 20 others wounded, involved a gunman who was able to purchase his firearm legally despite a previous military conviction of domestic violence assault.

In 2023, a man with a history of mental health problems and a prior arrest on charges of assaulting family members killed six people in a violent rampage spanning from San Antonio to Austin. He purchased his gun through a private sale that avoided a background check.

As investigations into the Houston megachurch shooting continue, authorities are grappling with the challenges posed by the legal acquisition of firearms by individuals with criminal records and mental health issues. Advocates for stronger gun control measures are calling for comprehensive solutions to prevent such incidents in the future.

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Written by Juan A. Lozano, with additional reporting by Jim Vertuno.

Follow Juan A. Lozano on X, formerly known as Twitter: twitter.com/juanlozano70

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– Texas church shooter rifle purchase mental illness criminal history.