MARION COUNTY LIVE TONIGHT IN DUNNELLON TONY ATKINS WESH TWO NEWS. ALL RIGHT. STAY SAFE OUT THERE, TONY. MEANWHILE, YOU’RE ABOUT TO TAKE A LIVE LOOK AT A PICTURE FROM AN FDOT CAM ON I-95 IN BREVARD COUNTY NEAR GRANT. NOW, WITHIN THE PAST HOUR, TROOPERS REOPENED TRAFFIC GOING NORTH AFTER SHUTTING DOWN BOTH DIRECTIONS FOR HOURS DUE TO SMOKE OUT THERE. THIS IS A LOOK AT WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE EARLIER TODAY. WE DO KNOW THAT FIREFIGHTERS, BOTH IN THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND, BATTL
Wildfire causes hours-long shutdown of I-95 in Brevard County
Interstate 95 was shut down in both directions in Brevard County on Sunday afternoon due to a wildfire, causing low visibility, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.Roads were closed between mile marker 166 and mile marker 173, about 7 miles between the area of St. Johns Heritage Parkway and Malabar Road.The road has since reopened, troopers said. FHP is advising drivers to continue to avoid the area until further notice. According to the Florida Forest Service, the brush fire over I-95 in Brevard County, called the Terkam Road fire, grew to 130 acres and is now 100% contained.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —
Interstate 95 was shut down in both directions in Brevard County on Sunday afternoon due to a wildfire, causing low visibility, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Roads were closed between mile marker 166 and mile marker 173, about 7 miles between the area of St. Johns Heritage Parkway and Malabar Road.
The road has since reopened, troopers said.
FHP is advising drivers to continue to avoid the area until further notice.
According to the Florida Forest Service, the brush fire over I-95 in Brevard County, called the Terkam Road fire, grew to 130 acres and is now 100% contained.
An Indiana state court judge and his wife were in stable condition Monday as authorities continued to search for suspects who shot the couple the day before at their Lafayette home.Steven Meyer, a Tippecanoe Superior Court judge, suffered an injury to his arm, and his wife, Kimberly Meyer, had a hip injury from the attack, authorities said.Officers responded Sunday afternoon to a report of a shooting in the residential area about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis to find the couple injured. They were treated for their wounds, and officers recovered shell casings from the scene.Lafayette Police said the investigation remains active and involves local, state and federal agencies. They have not released a motive or suspect description.Mayor Tony Roswarski assured the community that every available resource was being used to apprehend the person or people responsible for what he called “this senseless, unacceptable act of violence.”Kimberly Meyer said in a statement Monday that she has “great confidence” in investigators and is grateful to the officers and medical professionals who helped her and her husband.The shooting had other Indiana judges worried for their safety, with state Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush urging them to “please remain vigilant in your own security.”“I worry about the safety of all our judges,” she wrote in a letter to the state’s judges. “As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe. Any violence against a judge or a judge’s family is completely unacceptable.”
LAFAYETTE, Ind. —
An Indiana state court judge and his wife were in stable condition Monday as authorities continued to search for suspects who shot the couple the day before at their Lafayette home.
Steven Meyer, a Tippecanoe Superior Court judge, suffered an injury to his arm, and his wife, Kimberly Meyer, had a hip injury from the attack, authorities said.
Officers responded Sunday afternoon to a report of a shooting in the residential area about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis to find the couple injured. They were treated for their wounds, and officers recovered shell casings from the scene.
Lafayette Police said the investigation remains active and involves local, state and federal agencies. They have not released a motive or suspect description.
Mayor Tony Roswarski assured the community that every available resource was being used to apprehend the person or people responsible for what he called “this senseless, unacceptable act of violence.”
Kimberly Meyer said in a statement Monday that she has “great confidence” in investigators and is grateful to the officers and medical professionals who helped her and her husband.
The shooting had other Indiana judges worried for their safety, with state Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush urging them to “please remain vigilant in your own security.”
“I worry about the safety of all our judges,” she wrote in a letter to the state’s judges. “As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe. Any violence against a judge or a judge’s family is completely unacceptable.”
CRIME STOPPERS. WELL, THEY’RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRES TODAY. THEY’RE DELIVERING PIZZA. DOMINO’S PIZZA TEAMS UP WITH THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROMOTE FIRE SAFETY. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S PETE CUDDIHY WENT ON THE DELIVERY ROUTE AND FOUND OUT THEY WERE BRINGING MORE THAN JUST YOUR FAVORITE SLICE. WHEN CUSTOMERS IN PAPILLION ORDERED THEIR DOMINO’S TODAY, THEIR DELIVERY CAME WITH A SURPRISE VISIT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A CHECK ON THEIR SMOKE DETECTORS TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY. A NORMAL DAY IN DOMINO’S KITCHEN IS FILLED WITH SPRINKLING GARLIC KNOTS WITH PARMESAN, CUTTING UP PIZZAS INTO SLICES AND FOLDING THEIR FAMOUS BOXES UP READY FOR DELIVERY. BUT SUNDAY WAS NO ORDINARY DAY FOR DOMINO’S PAPILLION STORE. THE PIZZA CHAIN TEAMED UP WITH THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, ADDING A NEW VEHICLE TO THEIR DELIVERY TEAM. NOW FOLLOWING BEHIND THEIR FAMOUS DELIVERY CARS MARKED WITH THE RED AND BLUE GAME PIECE WAS A PAPILLION FIRE ENGINE TEAMED UP WITH DOMINO’S PIZZA THIS YEAR. TO CHECK RESIDENTS FOR SMOKE DETECTORS IF THEY HAVE WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS. CREDIT TO THEM, THEY GOT A FREE PIZZA WHILE EMPLOYEES IN THE KITCHEN PRESSED THE DOUGH AND LAID THE TOPPINGS. FIREFIGHTERS BRIAN O’SHEA AND TODD CREWS WAITED FOR THEIR MOMENT TO DELIVER CUSTOMERS ORDERS WITH A SIDE OF SAFETY. GIVE US ABOUT 15 MINUTES. WHEN EVERYTHING WAS BAGGED, IT WAS TIME FOR PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ROLL OUT. HI. HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? NOT TOO BAD. IS THAT FOR YOU? THANK YOU. HELLO. HI. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WORKING SMOKE DETECTOR. YEAH. FIRE THE DELIVERY. RESULTING IN A WIN WIN SCENARIO. WORKING ALARMS. IT’S GOOD. MEANING? FREE PIZZA FOR THE CUSTOMER. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. A POSITIVE DAY TEAM LEAD AT DOMINO’S JONATHAN GLENN IS HAPPY HE WAS A PART OF. I GREW UP HERE MY WHOLE LIFE, SO BEING ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY YOU GREW UP IN IS ALWAYS SPECIAL. TO DO AN EVENT, REWARDING THE COMMUNITY FOR TAKING PRECAUTIONS. ONE FREE PIZZA AT A TIME. WE APPLAUD PEOPLE FOR TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR HOMES SAFE. THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A WORKING SMOKE DETECTOR OR IF YOU NEED ONE REPLACED, YOU CAN CONTACT THE MAYOR’S HOTLINE AND THEY’LL COME OUT AND INSTALL ONE FOR YOU. REPORTING FROM PAPI
Fire department in Nebraska teams up with Domino’s to deliver fire safety
When customers in Papillion, Nebraska, ordered their Domino’s Sunday afternoon, their delivery came with a surprise visit from the Papillion Fire Department and a check on their smoke detectors to ensure their safety.A normal day in a Domino’s kitchen is filled with sprinkling garlic knots with parmesan, cutting up pizzas into slices, and folding their famous boxes up ready for delivery. But Sunday was no ordinary day for the Domino’s store in Papillion, which is a suburb of Omaha.The pizza chain teamed up with the Papillion Fire Department for Fire Prevention Week, adding a new vehicle to their delivery team. Now following behind their famous delivery cars — marked with the red and blue game piece — was a Papillion fire engine.”Teamed up with Domino’s Pizza this year to check residents for smoke detectors. If they have working smoke detectors, credit to them — they got a free pizza,” said Battalion Chief of Papillion Fire Department Brian Oshey.While employees in the kitchen pressed the dough and laid the toppings, firefighters Brian Oshey and Todd Groose waited for their moment to deliver customers’ orders with a side of safety. When orders were bagged, it was time for the Papillion Fire Department to roll out, knocking at the door with pizza in hand, ready to check the customer’s smoke alarms.The delivery resulted in a win-win scenario: working alarms meant free pizza for the customer — a positive day.Team lead at Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn, is happy he was a part of it.”I lived in Papillion my whole life, so doing this is really cool,” said team lead at Papillion Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn.Rewarding the community for taking precautions, Oshey said, “We applaud people for taking steps to make sure they’re keeping their family and their home safe.”
PAPILLION, Neb. —
When customers in Papillion, Nebraska, ordered their Domino’s Sunday afternoon, their delivery came with a surprise visit from the Papillion Fire Department and a check on their smoke detectors to ensure their safety.
A normal day in a Domino’s kitchen is filled with sprinkling garlic knots with parmesan, cutting up pizzas into slices, and folding their famous boxes up ready for delivery. But Sunday was no ordinary day for the Domino’s store in Papillion, which is a suburb of Omaha.
The pizza chain teamed up with the Papillion Fire Department for Fire Prevention Week, adding a new vehicle to their delivery team. Now following behind their famous delivery cars — marked with the red and blue game piece — was a Papillion fire engine.
“Teamed up with Domino’s Pizza this year to check residents for smoke detectors. If they have working smoke detectors, credit to them — they got a free pizza,” said Battalion Chief of Papillion Fire Department Brian Oshey.
While employees in the kitchen pressed the dough and laid the toppings, firefighters Brian Oshey and Todd Groose waited for their moment to deliver customers’ orders with a side of safety.
When orders were bagged, it was time for the Papillion Fire Department to roll out, knocking at the door with pizza in hand, ready to check the customer’s smoke alarms.
The delivery resulted in a win-win scenario: working alarms meant free pizza for the customer — a positive day.
Team lead at Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn, is happy he was a part of it.
“I lived in Papillion my whole life, so doing this is really cool,” said team lead at Papillion Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn.
Rewarding the community for taking precautions, Oshey said, “We applaud people for taking steps to make sure they’re keeping their family and their home safe.”
President Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement paid tribute Sunday to Charlie Kirk, praising the slain political conservative activist as a singular force whose work they must now advance.Stream the service in the video player aboveThe memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.“For Charlie, we will remember that it is better to stand on our feet defending the United States of America and defending the truth than it is to die on our knees,” Vance said. “My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America. And he is a martyr for the Christian faith.”Speakers highlighted Kirk’s profound faith and his strong belief that young conservatives need to get married, build families and pass on their values to keep building their movement. They also repeatedly told conservative activists, sometimes in confrontational tones, that the best way to honor Kirk was doubling down on his mission to move American politics further to the right.Kirk’s assassination at a Sept. 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has become a singular moment for the modern-day conservative movement. It also has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency and free speech in an era of deep political division.High security and a full stadiumThose close to Kirk prayed and the floors shook from the bass of Christian rock bands as the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals took on the feel of a megachurch service.“Charlie looked at politics as an on-ramp to Jesus,” said the Rev. Rob McCoy, Kirk’s pastor.People began lining up before dawn to secure a spot inside State Farm Stadium west of Phoenix, where Kirk’s Turning Point organization is based. Security was tight, similar to the Super Bowl or other high-profile event. The speakers delivered their tributes from behind bullet-proof glass.The 63,400-seat stadium quickly filled with people dressed in red, white and blue, as organizers suggested.Kirk’s widow, Erika, in her own address said in the midst of her grief she was finding comfort that her husband left this world without regrets. She also said she forgives the man who is charged with killing him.“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” said Erika Kirk, who is taking over as Turning Point’s leader. She added, “I forgive him.”A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges. Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he “had enough” of Kirk’s hatred.Kirk’s legacy of conservative political influenceTurning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.“Charlie’s having some serious heavenly FOMO right now,” Tyler Bower, Turning Point’s chief operating officer, said, likening the moment to bringing “the Holy Spirit into a Trump rally.”The crowd was a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America with his ability to mobilize young people.His impact on modern-day conservatism went beyond U.S. shores.Kirk “was very effective because he was convinced of his views and knew how to argue them,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said at a political rally Sunday in Rome.Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he traveled the country for the events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was shot. Kirk grew the organization, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.“He slayed ignorance,” said Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “He cut through lies. He woke people’s minds, inspired people’s hearts and imparted wisdom every day.”Speaker after speaker, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressed their awe at Kirk’s ability to go into what many conservatives saw as the lion’s den to make the conservative case: college campuses.“Why don’t you start somewhere easier,” Rubio joked when he first heard about Kirk years ago. “Like, for example, communist Cuba?”
GLENDALE, Ariz. —
President Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement paid tribute Sunday to Charlie Kirk, praising the slain political conservative activist as a singular force whose work they must now advance.
Stream the service in the video player above
The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.
“For Charlie, we will remember that it is better to stand on our feet defending the United States of America and defending the truth than it is to die on our knees,” Vance said. “My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America. And he is a martyr for the Christian faith.”
Speakers highlighted Kirk’s profound faith and his strong belief that young conservatives need to get married, build families and pass on their values to keep building their movement. They also repeatedly told conservative activists, sometimes in confrontational tones, that the best way to honor Kirk was doubling down on his mission to move American politics further to the right.
Kirk’s assassination at a Sept. 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has become a singular moment for the modern-day conservative movement. It also has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency and free speech in an era of deep political division.
High security and a full stadium
Those close to Kirk prayed and the floors shook from the bass of Christian rock bands as the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals took on the feel of a megachurch service.
“Charlie looked at politics as an on-ramp to Jesus,” said the Rev. Rob McCoy, Kirk’s pastor.
People began lining up before dawn to secure a spot inside State Farm Stadium west of Phoenix, where Kirk’s Turning Point organization is based. Security was tight, similar to the Super Bowl or other high-profile event. The speakers delivered their tributes from behind bullet-proof glass.
The 63,400-seat stadium quickly filled with people dressed in red, white and blue, as organizers suggested.
Kirk’s widow, Erika, in her own address said in the midst of her grief she was finding comfort that her husband left this world without regrets. She also said she forgives the man who is charged with killing him.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” said Erika Kirk, who is taking over as Turning Point’s leader. She added, “I forgive him.”
A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges. Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he “had enough” of Kirk’s hatred.
Kirk’s legacy of conservative political influence
Turning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.
“Charlie’s having some serious heavenly FOMO right now,” Tyler Bower, Turning Point’s chief operating officer, said, likening the moment to bringing “the Holy Spirit into a Trump rally.”
The crowd was a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America with his ability to mobilize young people.
His impact on modern-day conservatism went beyond U.S. shores.
Kirk “was very effective because he was convinced of his views and knew how to argue them,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said at a political rally Sunday in Rome.
Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he traveled the country for the events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was shot. Kirk grew the organization, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.
“He slayed ignorance,” said Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “He cut through lies. He woke people’s minds, inspired people’s hearts and imparted wisdom every day.”
Speaker after speaker, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressed their awe at Kirk’s ability to go into what many conservatives saw as the lion’s den to make the conservative case: college campuses.
“Why don’t you start somewhere easier,” Rubio joked when he first heard about Kirk years ago. “Like, for example, communist Cuba?”
Protestors were back out at the Pulse Memorial Sunday afternoon for a stop the violence rally. This comes a day after a protester said they were assaulted by someone on Saturday afternoon.
Orlando police are investigating the alleged assault.
The victim is Zane Aparicio, who goes by Cait. Cait and a few others protested the state’s decision to paint over the rainbow crosswalk in front of the memorial.
They told police a man and a female passenger pulled up in a Tesla. The man got out and went for the flags.
“He marched, with purpose, to the corner and grabbed the Trans flag and the Pride flag out of where we had them posted up and threw them into oncoming traffic,” said witness Andrew Daniel.
Cait and Daniel said they both ran over to get the flags. Cait admitted to chasing after the man in the Tesla to stop him from leaving.
Cait and Daniel said the man had been driving by the area since Wednesday. They said the man kept cursing and shouting at the protestors.
Cait said the man would shout things like “we should die. We’re violent.”
Cait and the other protestors said they took those as threats.
“That’s exactly why I was trying to stop him and called the cops,” Cait said. “It’d be easier to let him walk away and not have the cops go after him. But, in the end, what’s stopping him from coming back tomorrow, Monday night, or Tuesday night to escalate further?”
The protestors at Sunday’s rally said they are tired of being mistreated for just wanting to live their lives and honor the victims of the 2016 mass shooting.
“What happened yesterday was tragic,” said Melody Short.
Short is one of the three protestors arrested a few weeks ago for chalking in the crosswalk. Melody said the way they’re being treated is heartbreaking.
“It’s exhausting because even in the army, I had to fight for my rights just to be me. I come home just to get thrown to the curb because I’m a queer veteran,” Melody said. “It’s disgusting.”
The protestors say the hate is not going to stop them from speaking up. Cait is planning to press charges when or if the man they say attacked them is found and arrested. protester
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Nearly 4,470 New Jersey homes and businesses are without power on Saturday afternoon after a strong line of thunderstorms passed through the state.
More thunderstorms are expected across New Jersey on Saturday evening and continuing overnight into Sunday.
Current utility outages as of 9:30 p.m:
Atlantic City Electric: 88 outages
The National Weather Service reported a strong cold front crossing the region, bringing thunderstorms and potential for heavy rainfall. The front is expected to become nearly stationary over New Jersey through Sunday, with a weak low-pressure system tracking along the front Sunday afternoon.
Severe weather elements include potential thunderstorms, high winds, and heavy rainfall, with some areas potentially receiving 1 to 2 inches of rain, particularly southeast of the urban corridor.
Residents are advised to stay informed about local weather conditions and potential power interruptions. Utility companies recommend having emergency supplies ready and checking their websites or local news for updates on restoration efforts.
Current weather radar
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A pilot was killed after two small-engine planes collided in midair over Lancaster on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
Federal authorities said Sunday that they were looking into the crash, which a Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokesperson said occurred about 12:50 p.m.
Firefighters arrived at the scene of a downed plane near 47th Street East and Avenue F about 1:20 p.m., said L.A. County Fire Capt. Sheila Kelliher-Berkoh. A second downed aircraft was near 60th Street East and Avenue G, Kelliher-Berkoh said.
One of the pilots was pronounced dead at the scene, but the other pilot was uninjured, she said. Although details of the incident were scarce Sunday afternoon, it appears the two planes collided above Lancaster, Kelliher-Berkoh said.
It wasn’t known Sunday afternoon what caused the crash, she said.
No passengers were on either plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board “is investigating the midair collision of a Yakovlev Yak-52 and Nanchang CJ-6A near Lancaster,” the agency said in a statement Sunday afternoon.
The Yak-52 is a single-engine craft designed in the 1970s in the Soviet Union. The CJ-6A was originally produced in the 1960s for the Chinese military. Both are known to be used in aerobatics.
ORLAND HILLS, Ill. — Eight people were injured on Sunday afternoon after a car crashed into a hair salon in the south suburbs.
According to a spokesperson for the Village of Orland Hills, crews with the Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) were called to the scene of the crash that occurred at a Sports Clips in the 9200 block of South 159th Street around 2 p.m.
After arriving on the scene, crews found that a car had driven through the salon’s south-facing wall.
After the crash, the driver then allegedly backed out of the salon and hit several parked cars.
Photos provided by the Orland Fire Protection District show the damage left behind after the crash.
Officials say during the crash, several people who were inside the salon were hit by the car.
Eight people in total were injured in the crash. Among those injured, four were taken to the hospital, including the driver, while four others received treatment at the scene.
Officials say the condition of the victims is currently unclear, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Currently, it is unclear what led to the crash and an investigation by the Orland Hills Police Department is underway.
A woman who walked into a popular Texas megachurch Sunday afternoon with a long gun and her 7-year-old son opened fire before she was killed by law enforcement officers on scene. The gunfire left the child in critical condition and another man injured, officials said.
Authorities are now probing the shooting at televangelist and pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church – roughly 6 miles from downtown Houston.
The woman, identified in a search warrant as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36, entered the church shortly before 2 p.m. wearing a trench coat and backpack and opened fire, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a Sunday afternoon news conference.
Officers “shot and killed her in self-defense” after she pointed her weapon at them, according to the search warrant released Monday by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
Her son was shot in the head during the shooting and remains in the hospital Monday in critical condition, the police chief said. It’s unclear who fired the shot that injured the child. CNN has reached out to police for more information.
Police have not shared details about a possible motive in the shooting. The injured man was shot in the leg, sought treatment at a hospital and was released, Finner said Monday. The search warrant identified him as Tom George Thomas.
The gunfire unfolded while the church was “in between services” and preparing to go into a Spanish service, Osteen said in Sunday’s news conference.
“I can only imagine if it would have happened during the 11 o’clock service,” he said.
Authorities say a woman opened fire at Lakewood Church on Sunday in Houston, Texas. – Jennifer Lake/SIPAPRE/Sipa/AP
2 off-duty law enforcement officers confronted the shooter
Moreno entered the church accompanied by her son. “Once she entered, at some point she began to fire,” the chief said. One federal law enforcement source told CNN she fired around 30 rounds.
Two off-duty officers were present: a 28-year-old Houston Police Department officer and a 38-year-old agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, both with less than five years of service. The two officers engaged the shooter and she was struck, the police chief said. She was pronounced dead at 2:07 pm local time.
The shooter used a legally purchased AR-15 with a “Palestine” sticker on it, police said. A federal law enforcement source previously told CNN “Free Palestine” was written on the gun. She also had a .22 caliber weapon in her bag which was not used in the attack, according to a federal law enforcement source. Investigators are trying to determine whether she was politically motivated or a disturbed individual, the source said.
“I want to commend those officers. She had a long gun and it could have been a lot worse,” Finner said. “But they stepped up and they did their job, and I want to thank them for that.”
Both officers who engaged with the shooter will be placed on administrative duty pending the investigation, as is protocol with officer-involved shootings, Finner said.
“It’s traumatic not only for our community but it’s certainly traumatic for the officers who had to take a life and we worry about their mental health as well, so our prayers are with them,” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said in Sunday’s news conference.
In this screen grab taken from video provided by KTRK-TV, authorities respond Sunday to a shooting at Lakewood Church, the Houston megachurch of celebrity pastor Joel Osteen. – KTRK-TV ABC13/AP
Shooter had history of criminal charges and mental health problems
Information from Moreno’s social media accounts and local authorities paints a portrait of a single mother with a history of mental health challenges going through the ups and downs of trying to turn her life around and launch a business.
During a Monday news conference, Houston Homicide Commander Christopher Hassig said the shooter used multiple aliases, including both male and female names. Moreno was put under an order for emotional detention in 2016 and she has a mental health history documented by Houston police, Hassig said.
Records from the Texas Department of Public Safety show Moreno had a string of arrests for minor offenses over the last two decades, including possession of marijuana, an assault, illegal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and a forgery charge. But in her 30s, she described herself on social media as the founder of a real-estate and financial services firm. By her own account on social media pages, she is involved in sales of everything from new condos to shopping malls.
A social media post in March 2020 shows a screenshot of a form letter from Lakewood Church thanking Moreno for her donation.
A search warrant identified the person who opened fire at Lakewood Church in Houston as Genesse Ivonne Moreno, 36. – Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office
A CNN review showed the story of a bitter custody battle between Moreno and representatives for her ex-spouse’s family played out on her social media accounts. In 2022, when she had her divorce proceeding transferred to county court, according to an attorney who represented her, Moreno was also arrested on a weapons charge, a misdemeanor, which was cleared with two days’ time served in the Fort Bend County Jail.
According to police, there was some sort of family dispute between the shooter and her ex-husband and ex-husband’s family, some of whom are Jewish.
“This might possibly be where all this stems from,” Hassig added. He said police also found antisemitic writings connected with the shooter.
Attorney William Capasso said he represented Moreno in 2021-2022 and told CNN Genesse Ivone Moreno went by the name Jeffrey Moreno Carranza at the time.
Capasso said he later withdrew as her attorney and she represented herself in divorce proceedings.
“I am deeply saddened to learn that Ms. Moreno may be responsible for the tragic events that occurred at the Lakewood Church and pray for the recovery of (the child) and for all of the people that were affected by this terrible tragedy,” Capasso.
Police have said they believe Moreno acted as a “lone wolf” and is not part of a larger group.
Woman also threatened a bomb
Moreno threatened that she had a bomb, but authorities searched her vehicle and backpack and found no explosives, the Houston police chief said.
She was also spraying “some type of substance on the ground,” Finner said, but he did not share further details. Peña said fire authorities were on scene and were going to “take our time to ensure that any issue, any risk that we see is properly vetted.”
“Right now, I can safely say that we have not found anything that is of concern to our community or to this location, but we’re going to take our time to ensure that we look at every aspect,” the fire chief added.
The search warrant for Moreno’s home said she had yellow rope similar to a detonation cord and “substances consistent with the manufacture of explosive devices.”
CNN has reached out to the Houston Fire Department for further information.
On Sunday night, authorities searched Moreno’s home in Conroe, Texas, in connection with the shooting, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed Monday. Spokesperson Melissa Garcia told CNN the ATF-Houston Division was one of the law enforcement agencies involved in the search. The home is about 50 minutes north of Lakewood Church.
The warrant includes searching for any ammunition, firearms, explosives, cell phones, and computers in the home, among other items.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he has been in contact with local and state officials and offered “the full support and resources” of the state to help the community.
“Join Cecilia and me in praying for his community during this difficult time and for the brave men and women in blue who acted quickly to respond to this tragedy,” Abbott added.
First responders and members of law enforcement surround the area after a shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston on Sunday. – Callaghan O’Hare/Reuters
Witness describes ‘erratic’ sound of shots and screaming
With a background in television production, Osteen took over his father’s church in 1999 and built a huge following. His services draw 45,000 attendees to the church weekly, in addition to people around the nation who tune in for online and television sermons, according to his website.
“We’re devastated,” Osteen said. “We’ve been here 65 years and to have somebody shooting at your church…”
A woman who was inside the church at the time of the shooting told CNN affiliate KHOU Osteen was greeting people after the end of the service and she was among the last to meet him.
Carlos Gonzalez, a worship singer, hugs a fellow churchgoer after a shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston. – Callaghan O’Hare/Reuters
Soon after, she told the news station, she heard repeated bangs, almost like “mechanical sounds.”
“It almost sounded like folding tables were being dismantled and dropped to the floor,” she said. “But they were erratic.”
Then, the woman said she heard another set of gunshots and saw people screaming and running. She ran into a room and squeezed inside with multiple other people, including a child. The group put two large wooden slats on the door to keep it from opening, and then, they began to pray.
“We were thankful,” she said. “We could have been a casualty. We could have been shot.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Raja Razek, Andy Rose, Ashley Killough, John Miller, and Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
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