The second verse, same as the first. In a continuation of their blackout from the previous evening, the Tuesday morning newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC absolutely refused to acknowledge the fact that the attempted mass shooter at the Lakewood megachurch in Houston, Texas was transgender, who would go by male and female names; a fact disclosed by authorities during a press conference.
What they did make sure to note, rightly, was that the shooter was anti-Semitic and a supporter of Palestine. “And it’s that anti-Semitic material combined with the fact authorities saw the word ‘Palestine’ written on the shooter’s rifle, which has them saying that they are not ruling out terrorism or a hate crime as a potential motivating cause here,” NBC correspondent Morgan Chesky announced on the Today show.
Chesky leaned on the press conference from Houston Police Commander Christopher Hassig to fill out the details of the shooter’s anti-Semitic writings, criminal history, and history of mental illness:
CHESKY: A search of Moreno’s home yielding ingredients to make explosives and written material with a very clear message.
HASSIG: We do have some anti-Semitic writings that we have uncovered during this process.
CHESKY: Law enforcement records show Moreno had at least six prior arrests since 2005, including weapons charges. In 2016, authorities also placed Moreno under an emergency detention order.
HASSIG: She does have a mental health history that is documented.
CHESKY: Police say a dispute with her ex-husband's family, some of whom are Jewish may also be related to the shooting.
But what neither Chesky nor the rest of the correspondents to be covered here shared was Hassig’s note that the shooter went by different gender identities.
As Hassig explained at the press conference: “She utilized both male and female names, but through all of our investigation through this point, talking with individuals, interview, documents, Houston Police Department reports, she has been identified this entire time as female. She, her.”
On a related note, all the network correspondents did note the shooter’s history of mental health issues. “Authorities say one of the weapons was bought legally in December. The shooter obtaining the guns despite her history of mental illness and arrests dating back to 2005 on charges including assault,” ABC’s Mireya Villarreal reported on Good Morning America.
Adding: “Houston's police chief directly told me that they are now aware of the shooter's mental health history and they are delving into it.”
Over on CBS Mornings, correspondent Omar Villafranca seemed to be skeptical of a larger motive of hate toward Jews. “While investigators zero in on a motive, they revealed yesterday one of the shooter's guns had a sticker reading “Palestine” on it. They also found anti-Semitic writings. But say they believe these may be related to a dispute with her ex-husband's family,” he said.
He highlighted that the local CBS affiliate, KHOU, spoke with the shooter’s mother-in-law who described the shooter as “violent.” “She was violent many times. [Transition] We asked for help from police and received it many times, but she was still allowed to own guns,” she said.
Chesky concluded his segment by reporting that a neighbor told him “there had been red flags in place for months in their neighborhood. Adding, she even had a restraining order filed against Moreno as recently as this past fall.”
They were able to dig up all of this information about the shooter’s background, but they willfully ignored one politically inconvenient piece.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
February 13, 2024
7:12:00 a.m. EasternMICHAEL STRAHAN: New to details on the shooting at Joel Osteen's megachurch. Officials have identified the woman who opened fire before being killed by law enforcement. And they now say the 7-year-old boy injured in the shooting was her son. Mireya Villarreal has the latest.
[Cuts to video]
MIREYA VILLARREAL: This morning, new video reveals the terrifying scene inside Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch, Lakewood during a shooting rampage that wounded two. The shooter, who was killed inside the church, is now identified as 36-year-old Genesse Moreno.
(…)
7:13:27 a.m. Eastern
VILLARREAL: Two weapons were recovered at the scene including an AR-15. Anti-Semitic writings were found on the shooter.
CHRISTOPHER HASSIG (Houston Police Department): There was a sticker on the rifle that stated “Palestine.”
VILLARREAL: Authorities say one of the weapons was bought legally in December. The shooter obtaining the guns despite her history of mental illness and arrests dating back to 2005 on charges including assault.
[Cuts back to live]
Houston's police chief directly told me that they are now aware of the shooter's mental health history and they are delving into it. But when we pressed the FBI about how this person with a criminal background like this could have gotten ahold of not just one, but two guns, they sidestepped that question and said that is part of the larger investigation.
CBS Mornings
February 13, 2024
7:12:13 a.m. EasternTONY DOKOUPIL: We're going to turn to new information about the deadly shooting at Joel Osteen's megachurch in Houston. We're seeing new video showing the chaos Sunday as the shots rang out. Police say the shooter was a 36-year-old woman with a history of a mental illness who had attended the church in the past year. Omar Villafranca has the latest.
[Cuts to video]
OMAR VILLAFRANCA: Investigators are sifting through chilling new videos like this, showing panicked churchgoers in one of the country's largest houses of worship. With her son by her side, police say 36-year-old Genesse Moreno walked into the megachurch carrying an AR-style rifle. When she was confronted by off-duty officers doing security, she opened fire.
(…)
7:13:25 a.m. Eastern
VILLAFRANCA: While investigators zero in on a motive, they revealed yesterday one of the shooter's guns had a sticker reading “Palestine” on it. They also found anti-Semitic writings. But say they believe these may be related to a dispute with her ex-husband's family.
CHRISTOPHER HASSIG (Houston Police Department): There was a familial dispute [Transition] and some of those individuals are of – are Jewish.
VILLAFRANCA: Officials said the shooter has a history of mental illness and was arrested at least six times, including a weapons charge. Our CBS affiliate KHOU spoke the shooter’s mother-in-law who says there were so many warning signs.
WALLI CARRANZA (shooter’s mother-in-law): She was violent many times. [Transition] We asked for help from police and received it many times, but she was still allowed to own guns.
(…)
NBC’s Today
February 13, 2024
7:10:30 a.m. EasternHODA KOTB: We are now learning more about the gunman who opened fire inside pastor Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch on Sunday. Investigators say they uncovered anti-Semitic material at her home. NBC’s Morgan Chesky has got the very latest for us this morning. Hey, Morgan. Good morning.
MORGAN CHESKY: Hey, Hoda, good morning. And it’s that anti-Semitic material combined with the fact authorities saw the word “Palestine” written on the shooter’s rifle, which has them saying that they are not ruling out terrorism or a hate crime as a potential motivating cause here. And this is happening as we’ve learned that the shooter's 7-year-old son remains in critical condition after police say she brought him inside the church when she started to open fire.
[Cuts to video]
More than 24 hours after gunfire rang out through Houston's Lakewood megachurch, investigators are painting a troubling picture of the woman they say opened fire. Houston police identifying the deceased shooter as 36-year-old Genesse Yvonne Moreno. Telling NBC News she was carrying an AR-15 with the word "Palestine" written on it.
A search of Moreno’s home yielding ingredients to make explosives and written material with a very clear message.
CHRISTOPHER HASSIG (Houston Police Department, commander): We do have some anti-Semitic writings that we have uncovered during this process.
CHESKY: Law enforcement records show Moreno had at least six prior arrests since 2005, including weapons charges. In 2016, authorities also placed Moreno under an emergency detention order.
HASSIG: She does have a mental health history that is documented.
CHESKY: Police say a dispute with her ex-husband's family, some of whom are Jewish may also be related to the shooting.
(…)
7:13:16 a.m. Eastern
CHESKY: We heard from the neighbor yesterday, who refused to go on camera, but did say definitively there had been red flags in place for months in their neighborhood. Adding, she even had a restraining order filed against Moreno as recently as this past fall.
(…)
