5 killed, including 8-year-old in San Jacinto County, shooter at large
The shooting suspect who allegedly killed five, including an eight-year-old boy, is still at large nearly 48 hours after the tragedy.
The gunman, identified as 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa, shot his neighbours with an AR-15 style rifle after they asked him to stop firing rounds in his yard because they were trying to sleep. The whereabouts of Mr Oropesa, who is originally from Mexico, is considered armed and dangerous.
Sheriff Greg Capers told reporters that investigators have “zero leads” and more than 200 law enforcement personnel from several agencies continue an extensive search in the rural area just outside of Cleveland.
The office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott is offering a $50K reward for information that leads to Mr Oropesa’s arrest, Mr Capers said. FBI Special Agent James Smith said his agency is also contributing $25K to that sum, while local law enforcement is offering an extra $5K, bringing the total amount of reward to $80K.
The victims have been identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, her eight-year-old son Daniel Enrique Laso, Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, and Josué Jonatán Cáceres, 18, according to 12 News. Guzman, a mother of three, leaves behind a two-year-old daughter and a six-month-old baby.
Her family has created a GoFundMe to raise funds so Guzman and her son’s remains can be repatriated to Honduras.