What we know about shooting at Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Texas

A woman who entered Joel Osteen’s megachurch and started shooting had the words “free Palestine” written on her rifle.

A woman who entered Joel Osteen’s megachurch and started shooting had the words “free Palestine” written on her rifle.

A woman who fired a gun inside Joel Osteen’s megachurch had the words “free Palestine” scrawled on her rifle.

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, has been identified as the shooter at the US televangelist’s 16,000-seat Houston church.

She entered the church about 2pm on Sunday, began firing an AR-15-style rifle and was killed by two off-duty officers.

A small boy who accompanied her was also hit by gunfire. He is in a critical condition at Texas Children’s Hospital and is not expected to survive.

Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, has been identified as the shooter at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church.

Moreno has a criminal history dating back to 2005 and was previously arrested under the name Jeffery Escalante, the New York Post reports.

The words on Moreno’s rifle raise questions as to whether her motive was connected to the war between Israel and Gaza that started when militants attacked Israel on October 7 last year. Investigators will probe whether the incident was a hate crime because it took place during an all-Spanish service, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a statement.

Houston Police Chief Froy Finner said the woman entered the church about armed with a long rifle and opened fire.

The woman, wearing a trench coat and a backpack, began firing the weapon, Chief Finner said.

She was accompanied by a young boy.

A 57-year-old man, not connected to the woman, was shot in the leg.

A Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent and an off-duty Houston Police Department officer returned fire and the woman died.

Joel Osteen said he was praying for everyone involved. Picture: Supplied

The five-year-old boy was also hit and is in a critical condition, Chief Finner added.

The woman had stated she was carrying a “bomb” before she was shot, however no explosives were found. She was also spraying a “substance” on the ground during the incident, he said.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said the woman was accompanied by a small child.

Police respond to the shooting in Houston, Texas.

Pastor Osteen said he was “devastated” about the incident.

“We’ve been here 65 years, to have someone shooting in your church,” he said.

“We have no idea why these things happen, but we know God’s in control.

“We’re going to pray for that little five-year-old boy. Pray for the lady that was deceased, her family and all.

“I don’t know, it’s kind of in a fog,” he added, characterising it as a battle between the forces of “good and evil”.

The incident happened before the main service on Sunday.