Genesse Ivonne Moreno, who had also been arrested several times, had harassed, threatened and brandished firearms at neighbors
The shooter who opened fire in a Texas megachurch on Sunday had legally purchased the firearm despite having a past criminal record and a history of mental illness.
The Lakewood church is run by the prominent evangelical Christian pastor Joel Osteen.
Police identified the shooter as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, the Associated Press reported. The Houston police chief, Troy Finner, said Moreno had a “mental health history that is documented”, the New York Times reported. Moreno had previously been placed under an emergency detention for a mental health emergency in 2016, according to the AP.
Moreno’s mother-in-law said Moreno had been taking medication for schizophrenia, according to a Facebook post.
Although Moreno had also been arrested several times since 2005, including on misdemeanor weapons charges in 2022, in December 2023 Moreno was still able to legally purchase the AR-15 rifle that was used in Sunday’s shooting.
