HOUSTON – The man who shot himself at Bush Intercontinental Airport had been planning the event for "quite some time," Houston Police said at a press conference Friday.
He procured weapons and did research right up until his last night when he stayed at Houston's Hotel Derek.
In a suicide note Carnell Marcus Moore, 29, of Beaumont, Texas, said he had decided he would not kill innocent people inside the airport, only himself. He also revealed he was distraught over a love interest.
"Here in the last hour, I yield to mercy when this could have turned out bad. Jehova (cq) found a path to my heart, that love would conquer anger. The monster within me was getting stronger and while I could not save myself, I could spare others. (name redacted) I love you so much. Peace is within sight. I ask that authorities handle my disposal."
Moore entered the airport at 1:35 p.m. Thursday. Police said he walked in before the security checkpoint, fired a shot into the ceiling and then allegedly shot himself. The incident happened near the ticketing counter in the pre-screening area of Terminal B of the busy airport.
According to investigators, Moore attempted to destroy laptop computers and computer hard drives at the hotel. Investigators are trying to recover that data, but they already know Moore hatched the majority of his plan in Beaumont. His plan was set into motion Tuesday morning during an encounter with a female co-worker from the Beaumont apartment building where he worked as a maintenance man.
Investigators said Moore obsessed over the woman and had expressed to her his romantic desires. He kidnapped her at gunpoint and wanted her to drive him to Houston, but she was able to "talk him out of it," according to police. Instead, he drove himself to Houston and checked into the hotel.
Police also said that Moore carried a suitcase into Bush Airport, which contained an AR-15 assault rifle, a Gideons Bible from the hotel, and the suicide note.
The Bible had three verses noted, Genesis 12:1, Psalm 83:18, and Revelation 2220 - verses 20 thru 21, which investigators said are "all basically acknowledging glory of God."
Investigators said Moore never used the AR-15 assault rifle, but shot a Glock handgun two times: once into the ceiling of the airport; the second may have been the fatal shot. The exact cause of Moore's death will be determined by an autopsy, according to the Harris County Medical Examiner.
New information from police also said that a Homeland Security Special Agent shot Moore in the shoulder.
The gunman's Chevrolet Silverado truck was parked outside of Terminal B since noon, according to police.
"The suspect entered the terminal about 1:35 p.m. just inside the departure area," said Kese Smith, an HPD spokesman. "He discharged his weapon one time into the ceiling. A Homeland Security Special Agent heard the shot from a nearby office. He came out and confronted the suspect. The agent gave the suspect verbal commands to drop the weapon." The spokesman said that the suspect was still armed when he turned toward the special agent. The special agent then discharged his weapon "fearing for his safety and that of the passengers in the terminal. At the same time, it appears the suspect may have shot himself," said Smith.
Investigators are looking into where Moore purchased the rifle and gun. Initial reports are that the guns may have come from a Beaumont pawn shop.
Moore's Facebook page remained online Friday with three recent postings: "This Life Will Crash Tomorrow!" and "I recently had the chance of staring death in the face, and she was beautiful." The most recent said: "45 minutes and 59 seconds in God's Shadow and Time Stops."