In a tragic incident that unfolded near the town of Cleveland, Texas, a man allegedly killed five of his neighbors, including a teenage girl and an eight-year-old boy, after they asked him to stop shooting his gun in his yard so they could sleep.
The incident occurred just before midnight on Friday, in a neighborhood about 45 miles north of Houston. According to local residents, it was not unusual for people to discharge firearms in the area as a way of unwinding after a long work week.
Deputies have identified the suspect as 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa, who still remains a fugitive as of May 1. San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said that the shooter used an AR-style rifle, and all the victims are believed to have been from Honduras. Capers revealed that the shots fired were directed at the victims’ heads, with all rounds landing from the neck upwards.
Oropesa was deported from the US five times, a source from ICE told Fox News Digital.
In an attempt to locate Oropesa, authorities have employed scent-tracking dogs and an overhead drone. They believe he was drunk during the shooting and fled toward a wooded forest located a few miles from his home. At the time of the attack, there were 10 people in the neighboring house. Two of the victims were found in a bedroom, laying over two children in an effort to protect them.
Three of the victims were female, including a 15-year-old girl, according to Rob Freyer, a prosecutor in San Jacinto County. The ages of the adult victims are unknown, but one male was among them. Two of the victims were discovered near the front door, while the slain eight-year-old boy was found in the front room. Three other children, covered in blood but uninjured, were taken to a hospital.
Sheriff Capers explained that the confrontation began when family members approached the fence dividing their properties and asked Oropesa to stop shooting. The suspect allegedly replied that it was his property, and one person from the house managed to capture a video of Oropesa approaching their front door, rifle in hand.
A neighbor said that he heard gunshots around midnight but did not find it unusual. He said it was a normal thing people do, especially on Fridays after work. He said people start drinking and shooting.
Police say that they have no leads about the whereabouts of the suspect. An $80,000 reward is being offered for tips that help the police and FBI.
