Houston, Texas – A seven-year-old boy, Samuel Moreno-Carranza, was tragically shot in the head at Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch on February 11th. The child has suffered severe injuries, with his grandmother revealing that he has lost a portion of his frontal lobe while recovering in the hospital. The shooting occurred when Samuel’s mother, Genesse Moreno, stormed into the church and began firing a rifle styled after an AR-15. The attack resulted in Samuel being struck in the head during the exchange of gunfire that ultimately killed his mother. The incident ended when a Houston police officer and an agent with the Texas alcoholic beverage commission shot Moreno to death. Another individual was also injured in the altercation.
Following the tragic events, a wave of misinformation regarding Moreno emerged, but authorities have since dispelled much of it. They confirmed that Moreno identified as a woman and had a history of criminal misdemeanors and mental illness. Furthermore, it was revealed that she kept antisemitic writings at home, feuded with her Jewish former in-laws, and had placed a Palestine sticker on the rifle used in the church attack. However, it remains unclear whether her decision to carry out the attack was influenced by Middle East wartime politics.
The shooting has reignited the debate on gun control, with Samuel’s grandmother criticizing the lack of meaningful gun control in the US. She highlighted how her former daughter-in-law was able to legally purchase the rifle used in the attack, despite her history of criminal misdemeanors and mental illness. The incident has prompted calls for stricter gun laws and sparked discussions about the need for better mental health support and intervention. In the midst of the tragedy, the conversation surrounding gun control and mental health is being amplified, as loved ones grapple with the devastating aftermath of the senseless violence.