International
Francisco Oropeza: FBI Hunt ‘Armed and Dangerous’ Texas Shooting Suspect
The FBI said they are hunting for a man accused of killing five of his neighbours in Texas after an argument about him practice-shooting nearby.
Suspect Francisco Oropeza, 38, is “armed and dangerous”, an FBI agent said.
He allegedly opened fire on his neighbours after they asked him to stop shooting because they were trying to put a baby to sleep.
The victims were all from Honduras, and included an eight-year-old child.
They have now been identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 8.
“He’s out there, and he’s a threat to the community,” FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith told reporters.
Local Sheriff Greg Capers said: “We are tracking him with dogs and men on horseback and drones in the air.”
“He could be anywhere now,” he added.
The shooting happened on Friday night in the small town of Cleveland, San Jacinto County, north of Houston.
The local sheriff’s office said it initially received a call about “harassment”.
Investigators believe that the victims had asked Mr Oropeza, who it is thought had been drinking, to stop shooting as a baby was trying to sleep.
Police say the suspect replied: “I’ll shoot out in my front yard, do what I want to in my own residence.”
After both parties returned to their houses, the gunman “topped off his magazine, and walked down his driveway… into the people’s house and started shooting,” Sheriff Capers earlier said.
A total of 10 people were at the property at the time. The adults were declared dead at the scene, and the eight-year-old died at a hospital.
The gunman is believed to have used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
Those killed were shot “almost execution style”, above the neck at close range, Sheriff Capers said.
Honduras’ foreign minister, Enrique Reina, tweeted: “We demand that the full weight of the law be applied against those who are responsible for this crime.”
The incident came days after nine people were injured at a shooting during a teenagers’ party in western Texas.
Two weeks ago four young people were shot dead during a 16th birthday party in Alabama.
Firearm incidents are the top cause of death for US children and teenagers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Credit: BBC
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