Houston police on Monday released body camera footage showing their response to an active shooter who opened fire at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood church earlier this month.
At 1:53 p.m. on February 11, Salvadoran Janece Yvonne Moreno began firing a gun at the megachurch and was eventually shot and killed by an off-duty police officer at the scene.
Moreno was accompanied by his 7-year-old son, who was shot in the head and is still fighting for his life.
In a social media post, Houston police released footage from the moment the gunshots rang out in the church’s west hall until the gunman collapsed.
“We recognize that the video of this shooting may be disturbing to members of our community. HPD is releasing video of critical incidents as part of our commitment to release video of critical incidents within 30 days.” Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on social media.
Four videos released by the department show various aspects of the incident, including surveillance footage from three law enforcement officers and body camera footage.
In one video, a group of people, including law enforcement officers, are standing and talking when gunshots are heard in a hallway.
As soon as the first gunshots are heard, the group looks in the direction the gunshots came from and begins walking in that direction.
As more shots were fired, officers with body cameras began running in the direction of the shots, and people began running in the opposite direction.
As several people took cover, the officer drew his gun and began walking toward the gunman, but Moreno was not in sight.
More gunshots rang out as she and the others moved toward the gunman, whispering while taking cover as much as possible.
“Come. We need to get close,” one officer whispers to the other before praying. “Father, just be with us. Forgive us our sins. Come.”
As they approached, they found a 7-year-old boy lying on the ground, almost lifeless.
What we know about Joel Osteen’s Houston church shooting
Genes Yvonne Moreno, 36, was identified as the suspect who opened fire at Joel Osteen’s church in Houston, Texas, on February 11, 2023, and was later shot and killed by a police officer.
Moreno entered Lakewood Church with a 7-year-old boy before a Spanish-language service began at 2 p.m. and began firing shots as several hundred people were seated.
A 57-year-old man who was present was shot in the leg and taken to a local hospital. The 7-year-old boy was shot in the head and is currently in critical condition.
Witnesses told ABC 13 they heard gunshots coming from the choir room, causing churchgoers to panic.
“The whole church started praying and proclaiming the name of Jesus,” she said. “I thought, ‘This may be the last time I’ll ever be able to pray to the praise of Jesus’ name, so let’s do this.'”
Osteen, 60, said at a Sunday news conference that the tragedy could have been much worse had it happened before or after Sunday services, when a larger crowd would have gathered.
Police said Moreno claimed to have a bomb and was shot dead after spraying an unknown substance on the ground. The 36-year-old has a record of mental health problems and reportedly used a weapon with a “Palestine” sticker on it during the shooting.
Detectives said Moreno may have fired up to 12 shots into the church before being subdued.
Another video taken from a body camera shows the officer hiding behind a wall and peeking out when the gunman begins firing.
Moreno later said, “You killed my son. Stand up. I have a bomb. I have an af—–g bomb.”
In between statements, Moreno continued to fire his gun.
“All I need is help,” she said. “I need help, that’s all.”
The gun fires several more times.
“There’s a bomb in this bag. Stop shooting,” she yelled, but the officers yelled back at her to put down their weapons. “I won’t. The bomb will explode.”
When the officer with the camera notices the shooter lying on the ground, more gunshots are fired, then he retreats with other officers.
Surveillance video from the church also captured the moment the gunman opened fire, as people scrambled to get out of the way and to safety.
The video also showed the moment Moreno fell to the ground from the gunfire.
“We know there are unanswered questions, but this remains an active investigation,” Finner said. “We continue to work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate all aspects of this incident. Our partnership with religious institutions remains a priority. We want everyone who gathers to feel safe.” We will continue to strive to improve safety so that you can participate safely.”
