Some residents of a small neighborhood in Conroe, Texas, have come out to express their distress and frustration following the recent shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston.
The suspect, Genesse Ivonne Moreno, had a history of troubling behavior, according to residents, who described being targeted, harassed, and threatened by Moreno. The neighborhood association president, identified only as Jill, lamented the failure to address the situation earlier, stating, “This should have been handled years ago, and here we are again.”
Moreno had a documented mental health history and was placed under an emergency detention order by Houston police in 2016. Law enforcement records show she has been arrested several times since 2005. She pleaded guilty to illegally carrying a weapon and pleaded to a lesser charge after authorities accused her of assaulting a public official.
Law enforcement has not yet identified a motive in Sunday’s shooting, but they said a dispute between Moreno and her ex-husband’s family, some of whom are Jewish, might be linked to the shooting.
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Two law enforcement officials told NBC News that Moreno used an assault rifle with the word “Palestine” written on it, which adds some complexities to the case. Moreno made several statements during the shooting, officials said, but they declined to describe them.
Residents like Judy Keith shared their experiences of feeling unsafe in the neighborhood due to some encounters with Moreno. Keith expressed fear and reluctance to continue her routine walks in the area because of the impact of Moreno’s actions on community members.
“I’m afraid to come down here. I used to walk my granddaughter down here to the park, and I had to stop doing that,” Keith said.
One of the women, Heather, who gave only her first name out of fear of retaliation, said she made a complaint against Moreno, alleging she threatened her with a handgun on July 4, 2022.
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Heather said Moreno had screamed expletives at her when she was watering her lawn early that morning. Heather said that she walked to Moreno’s home and that the woman pointed a handgun at her from behind the trunk of her car. She said Conroe police documented the incident as a threat.
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“We’re being told ‘see something, say something.’ Well, we’re seeing stuff, we are saying stuff … and Conroe PD is not helping us,” Heather said. “I don’t want to bash them but help us. Please.”
The tragic incident at Lakewood Church has sparked conversations about the need for improved mental health support and intervention, as well as the importance of addressing concerns raised by communities regarding individuals displaying threatening behavior. Residents hope for accountability and measures to prevent similar incidents as investigations continue.
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