Houston Lakewood Church shooter was previously arrested on gun charges

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Houston Police release Lakewood Church surveillance video of active shooter

The Houston Police Department released surveillance video from Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, showing moments from an active shooter situation on Feb. 11, 2024.

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The woman who opened fire earlier this month at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church before being shot and killed by off-duty police officers on the scene was previously arrested on gun charges, according to a police report.

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, originally from El Salvador, was arrested by Katy, Texas, police on April 2, 2022 after being pulled over in a black Infinity sedan police say had an expired registration and no front license plate. 

The officer conducting the traffic stop smelled marijuana “emitting from the interior of the vehicle” and “observed a tan in color custom AR15 rifle in plain view on the passenger side seat,” the case report states. 

The officer states the rifle was “equipped with two 30 round magazines” and was loaded when located. 

DRAMATIC BODYCAM VIDEO FROM JOEL OSTEEN’S LAKEWOOD CHURCH SHOOTING RELEASED: ‘FATHER GOD, JUST BE WITH US’

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  DSP Armory "tan in color custom AR15 rifle" equipped with two 30 round magazines located on the car the Lakewood Church shooter was driving back in April 2022. (Katy Police Department)

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  The Smith & Wesson 9mm, semiautomatic handgun found in the car Genesse Moreno was driving while pulled over in April 2022. (Katy Police Department)

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  Amount of marijuana found in a plastic bag by police in Genesse Moreno’s possession in April 2022. (Katy Police Department)

Moreno was asked to step out of the car when a black handgun was spotted by the officer on the driver-side floorboard next to a “small plastic baggie containing a green leafy substance.” Once Moreno stepped out of the car, she was placed in handcuffs.

The handgun was identified as a Smith & Wesson 9mm semiautomatic. It was reported to be equipped with one magazine and was loaded. 

A second officer arrived on scene and placed Moreno in the back of her patrol unit. After a full vehicle search was conducted, the “green leafy substance” was tested and confirmed to be marijuana. 

Moreno was placed in custody and charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon, failure to maintain financial responsibility and expired registration. 

LAKEWOOD CHURCH SHOOTER IDENTIFIED AS GENESSE IVONNE MORENO; ‘PALESTINE’ WRITTEN ON GUN

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, who Houston Police said opened fire at the Lakewood Church, used several male and female aliases, including Jeffrey Escalante Moreno. She also had six pervious arrests dating back to 2005. (Texas Department of Public Safety / Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Her vehicle was towed, and she was sent to the Katy Police Department Jail for booking prior to being taken to the Fort Bend County Jail. 

Police say .035 ounces of marijuana were found in the plastic bag belonging to Moreno, and the firearms were recovered to be destroyed at a later date. 

LAKEWOOD CHURCH HOLDS HEALING AND PRAISE SERVICE A WEEK AFTER FATAL SHOOTING

Surveillance footage released by the Houston Police Department shows the moment a shooter opened fire on a church, sending people scrambling for safety. (Houston Police Department)

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Moreno had her 7-year-old son in tow at Lakewood Church on Feb. 11. He was shot in the head and continues to fight for his life.   

The Houston Police Department released body camera footage of their response to the active shooter situation on Monday. 

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.