(Updated) Shooter at Joel Osteen’s Church Was Immigrant With a Political Message on ‘Her’ AR-15

Update – 4:45 pm Eastern: During a Monday afternoon press conference, Christopher Hassig, commander of the HPD homicide unit, addressed the confusion regarding the shooter’s identity, specifically gender. Per Hassig:

“Our shooter is identified by a driver’s license as Genesse Moreno, 36 years old, Hispanic female. There are some discrepancies — we do have reports she used multiple aliases, including “Jeffrey Escalante,” so she has utilized both male and female names. But through all of our investigation to this point, talking with individuals, interviews, documents, Houston Police Department reports she has been identified this entire time as female — she/her. And so we are identifying her as Genesse Moreno, Hispanic female.”

The child has been identified as Moreno’s seven-year-old biological son. He sustained one gunshot wound to the head and is in critical condition.

Additionally, authorities provided some clarification regarding the reported writing/sticker on the weapon.

Authorities stated that the buttstock of the AR-15 she wielded featured a sticker of the word “Palestine.” Previous reports incorrectly stated the long gun featured the words “Free Palestine.” Hassig stated “antisemitic writings” have been discovered in subsequent investigations into Genesse.

Authorities also provided some additional background that may point to a potential motive.

Hassig also stated the shooter had a history of mental health illness and was previously put under emergency detention orders by Houston police. Genesse appears to have legally purchased at least one of the guns used in the attack as recently as December. The commander stated the shooter may have been embroiled in a familial dispute with the family of an ex-husband.

“We do believe there was a familial dispute between her and her ex-husband’s family, and some of those people are Jewish,” Hassig said.

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