'It should be flagged:' local security expert weighs in on known risks surrounding Texas church shooter
TAMPA, Fla. - As authorities review how the Texas church shooter was able to buy the rifle used in the attack despite mental illness and a criminal history, a locally-based church security expert is weighing in on key takeaways from the incident.
"I think the response is incredible," said Jim Howard, executive director at Trinity Security Allies, which provides education and safety training to houses of worship.
Investigators said Genesse Moreno, 36, opened fire in celebrity pastor Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church on Sunday before being gunned down by security officers. The female suspect did not reach the sanctuary.
"Normally (church safety teams) have a person on the outside that's kind of like driving around looking for strange, strange behaviors. And so, for them to respond that quickly inside, there must have been something that alerted them," Howard said. "We'll have to hear the whole story, but there must have been something that alerted them, because they were there in that hallway before she had an opportunity to get into the main sanctuary."
Howard said early intervention is critical in scenarios like the one that played out in Houston on Sunday.
"Apparently, the way that (Moreno) was dressed was a little odd. She had a long coat on, and a big backpack," he said. "Of course, that’s something that we always look at immediately, especially if it’s somebody that we don’t know. We teach at the churches to always, always, always-- if they see someone that they don’t know-- approaching and start talking to them right off the bat."
Public records show that Moreno faced several charges over the years, including theft, forgery and assault. However, a local prosecutor says a misdemeanor conviction for unlawfully carrying a weapon wouldn't have prevented her under Texas state law from purchasing more guns.
Houston police said on Monday that Moreno was put under emergency detention by officers in 2016, which is not an arrest but does allow officers to detain a mentally ill person if they pose a substantial risk of serious harm.
Unlike Texas, Florida has a mental health prohibitor law in place, which bars gun possession by people who have been involuntarily committed or found to be a danger to themselves or to others.
Also unlike Texas, Florida has an extreme risk law, sometimes referred to as a ‘red flag law,’ allowing law enforcement to petition for a court to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns.
"Listen, I've got 38 years in law enforcement. I believe in the red flag laws," Howard told FOX 13 News. "I think that this is something because I have seen it where people have talked about (ending their life). We've confiscated their weapons, only to find out later on, they'd gone to a gun store and bought more weapons. So I believe in things like this because it should be flagged."
Moreno's seven-year-old son was critically injured after being shot in the head during the attack. Houston police did not immediately have an update on his condition Tuesday.