COOL UNDER FIRE

Lakewood Megachurch Pastor Speaks Out: ‘I Had to Remain Calm’

Jorge Basave was making pre-service announcements when shots rang out inside his church.

When a shooter opened fire at Lakewood Church just before service was about to begin, Pastor Jorge Basave did his best to keep cool. “I was worried my fear would be contagious, so I had to remain calm,” Basave told The Houston Chronicle after the terrifying event. He was making a few pre-service announcements from the pulpit when the shots—caught on livestream—rang out, and initially ignored the sounds until he saw congregants fleeing. “That was a bit traumatic,” he said simply. The shooter, 36-year-old Genesse Moreno, had entered the church on Sunday wearing a trenchcoat and a backpack. Shortly after firing off the first rounds, she was struck and killed by two off-duty police officers. Moreno brought a small child with her, who was also struck in the crossfire and remains in critical condition. Authorities have not released a motive for the shooting. Lakewood Church is the nondenominational megachurch run by prominent televangelist Joel Osteen.