Neighbours recalled the red flags they noticed about Genesse Moreno, the 36-year-old woman who opened fire inside Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston, Texas on Sunday.
Moreno, who has a lengthy criminal record and has gone by several male aliases, allegedly carried out the shooting using an AR-15 with the word “Palestine” across it, police said.
Several neighbors said Moreno harassed and threatened them for four years, with one claiming she had scrawled swastikas on her property and taunted her and her grandchildren many times.
Police said Moreno went into the Lakewood Church armed with the rifle and dressed in a trench coat and backpack. She had her 7-year-old son with her.
After she began shooting, two off-duty officers returned fire and she was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The child got caught in the exchange of gunfire and was struck in the head. He is in critical condition.
A 57-year-old man was also shot in the leg. He has been released from the hospital, police said.
Lakewood Church is one of the largest Christian churches in the US. Joel Osteen, its lead pastor, is one of the US’s most notable religious leaders.