Source: Wikipedia
Preliminary research by the ADL Center on Extremism (COE) shows Genesse Moreno, who opened fire at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, on February 11, 2024, before being killed by off-duty officers, expressed support for a range of antisemitic, anti-Zionist and extremist beliefs and praised U.S.-designated terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. Moreno’s mother reportedly attended the church, but it is unclear why Moreno targeted Lakewood in the attack that also left two people wounded.
ADL researchers have found Moreno’s antisemitic, pro-Palestinian Telegram channel and chat, where she shared terrorist propaganda and antisemitic conspiracy theories, praised U.S.-designated terrorist groups and frequently ranted about her ex-mother-in-law Walli Carranza, a Colorado-based rabbi whom she accused of trying to “kidnap” her son. News reports indicate Moreno suffered from schizophrenia and that police found antisemitic writings among her belongings.
Moreno’s Telegram posts indicate she began planning the attack at least a month prior to the shooting and initially considered targeting a pro-Israel rally. “I call on all Muslim college people invite me to the next pro-Israel rally I will have two surprises in support of PALESTINE,” she wrote in a January 3, 2024, post.
Other posts made by Moreno indicate she may have been motivated by anger towards her ex-mother-in-law, who petitioned to become the managing conservator for Moreno’s son in 2022. In another January 3, 2024, post, Moreno wrote, “ALLAH is willing, I will .... Jews to send my message to Walli Carranza. Don't worry my MUSLIMS brothers I am pass the threat phase. I'm in planning mode. Please don't message me private trying to stop me.”
In a January 15, 2024, post, Moreno shared a photo of what appears to be the weapon she used in the attack, which reportedly had a “Palestine” sticker on it, writing, “In a month they going to get polished.”
Moreno, who expressed admiration for Osama bin Laden, whom she referred to as “uncle,” made several posts in which she expressed a desire to kill Jews and wage jihad. “I always knew I had a purpose to do for Islam and Christianity. We must all come together Christians need the heart that they had back in the day back in the revivals of the old age. But this time to kill all Jews. #warjihad #mywarjihad,” she posted on December 23, 2023.
She also shared content from Resistance News Network (RNN), a radical anti-Zionist English-language Telegram channel that promotes violence against Israel. RNN’s posts include the explicit promotion of U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as well as many images of individuals with guns and the depiction of rockets being fired at Israel. RNN also provides English translations of communiques from Hamas’ Al Qassam Brigades and the Iranian-funded Hezbollah terrorist group.
In addition to sharing content from RNN, Moreno also shared terrorists’ commentary in her own Telegram channel. Among them: Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Ansar Allah (The Houthis) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Moreno shared the image and message above in her Telegram channel, which is a propaganda poster from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades depicting a wounded Israeli soldier along with the caption, written in both Arabic and Hebrew: “We warned you and you did not take heed.” The text of the Telegram message, which according to Moreno’s channel appears to be translated from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, reads, “There is no safety for you on our land.”
Moreno, who posted on Telegram under the screen name “Die Israel,” repeatedly expressed hatred for Jews and Israel. On January 8, 2024, she wrote: “Death to Jews in America!”
On October 21, 2023, she posted a video of herself shooting at a target that included a drawing of a Star of David.