Global Courant 2023-04-30 00:12:23
A man is accused of fatally shooting five of his neighbors, including an 8-year-old child, at their home in Cleveland, Texas, after they asked him to stop shooting in his yard, authorities said.
The suspect, 38-year-old Francisco Oropez, was armed with an AR-style rifle when he reportedly went to the home on Walters Road in the Trails End area around 11:30 p.m. Friday and opened fire, the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office said. Office said.
Authorities are looking for the suspect, who they believe has fled the country.
Four of the victims were found dead in the home, the sheriff’s office said in a statement Facebook message on Saturday. The child died in a hospital.
Authorities said deputies were called to the house in connection with a complaint of harassment.
Authorities investigate the scene of a mass shooting in Cleveland, Texas.KPRC
“En route, the communications center received multiple 911 calls of an active shooting incident at the dispatch location,” the department said.
Sheriff Greg Capers told reporters that the deceased victims were all from Honduras and ranged in age from 8 to 40 years old. They were in the living room, a bedroom and at the front door of the house.
Three youths have been taken to hospital. Sheriff Capers said they were “covered in blood” but were not injured.
What you need to know about the Texas shooting
The shooting occurred at around 11:30 p.m. Friday at a home in Cleveland, Texas. There were ten people in the house. Five have died, including an 8-year-old child. The suspect used an AR-style rifle in the shooting and is believed to have fled the county
He told reporters that two women murdered in the bedroom lay over some of the surviving children.
Two others in the home were assessed at the scene and released, the sheriff’s office said.
An arrest warrant was issued for the suspect, who is a Mexican national, and a judge set bail of $5 million. He faces five counts of murder.
Francisco Oropeza.The Jacinto County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Capers told reporters the suspect was known to fire his gun in the front yard of his home. Shortly before the shooting, one of the victims came out and told the suspect their baby was trying to sleep, he told a local ABC 13 reporter.
“The guy said I’d shoot in my front yard, do whatever I want in my own home,” Capers said.
The Texas Rangers were on the scene to assist with the investigation.
The San Jacinto County Democratic Party said it canceled a pre-planned annual Saturday night fundraiser in the wake of the shooting and would instead hold a prayer vigil for the victims.
“San Jacinto County has been devastated by last night’s horrific events,” John Michael Adams, chairman of the San Jacinto County Democratic Party, said in a statement. “We have decided that it no longer makes sense to hold our annual fundraiser tonight, but we still felt we should come together as a community – however we could – and send our love and prayers to the loved ones of the victims of this senseless action. shooting.”
