FBI has teamed up with local authorities in the search of a gunman who is accused of shooting and killing 5 people, including a child, at a Cleveland, Texas, home, CNN reports.
Francisco Oropeza, 38, went on the run Friday night after firing his rifle into a neighbor’s home after they asked him if he could avoid shooting his rifle outdoors because a baby was trying to sleep, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said Saturday.
“The victims, they came over to the fence said, ‘Hey, could you mind not shooting out in the yard. We have a young baby that is trying to go sleep,’”
Capers said.
Oropeza, who was reportedly drinking at the time, responded
“I’ll do what I want to in my front yard,”
police told the outlet. A few moments later Oropeza was caught on doorbell footage shooting into the neighbor’s home. Five people were killed as a result of the shooting. The victims were identified as Sonia Argentina Gúzman, 25; Diana Velázquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; José Jonathan Cásarez, 18; and Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman, 8, reports state.
According to police, five other people were home during the incident but were not injured. Three children were found
“covered in blood”
and were transported to a hospital, but were not harmed, the sheriff said earlier Saturday.
The sheriff’s office announced that the FBI Houston Field Office is aiding in the search for Oropeza. Authorities had been trailing Oropeza through his cell phone but revealed that “the trail went cold” Saturday evening.
“Oropeza’s cell phone was found abandoned, along with articles of clothing,”
Capers said.
“The tracking dogs from Texas Department of Corrections picked up the scent, and then they lost that scent,”
the sheriff confirmed per CNN.
“He could be anywhere now,”
Capers announced at a news conference, Saturday.
#Clique, let’s continue to keep this family in our thoughts and prayers as the search for the suspect continues.
