A manhunt is underway in Cleveland, Texas after a shooting left four adults and a nine-year-old boy dead.
Manhunt underway for gunman who killed five, including a 9-year-old, in Texas
Francisco Oropesa, 38, is the suspected shooter, who was asked to stop firing his rifle by neighbors. In response, he allegedly told the victims he would do what he wanted and shot the five victims, who had come to his fence to ask him to stop. Nine-year-old Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman was among the dead. At least 200 officers from various law enforcement agencies are searching door-to-door and asking the community for information. A $80,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the suspect’s arrest.
The FBI warned that Oropesa is “armed and dangerous” and advised the public not to approach him. Investigators initially tracked him using his cellphone, but the trail went cold on Saturday evening, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
The victims were all shot “almost execution-style”, above the neck at close range
Five other people who were home during the rampage were not hurt. Three children were found covered in blood but were not injured. Two women are believed to have died while using their bodies to shield the surviving children. A vigil for the nine-year-old boy was scheduled to take place on Sunday evening.
This shooting is part of a rising trend in mass shootings in the US, with at least 184 mass shootings in the first four months of 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The nonprofit defines mass shootings as those in which four or more people are shot, not including the shooter. The US government and law enforcement agencies are focused on capturing the suspect and bringing closure and justice to the five people killed. The police force is small, covering a large county, and authorities arrived at the scene as fast as possible, the sheriff said.
While Oropesa is believed to have contacted his friends, authorities are appealing to the public for any information they may have on the shooter’s whereabouts.
READ ALSO: Death By Starvation Caused Of Kenyan Cult Reached 110