A man shot dead five neighbors including an 8-year-old boy after some of them had asked him to stop shooting a semiautomatic rifle in his front yard in Cleveland, Texas, because it was keeping their baby awake, police said on Saturday.
Police were still looking for the suspect, who used an AR-15-style rifle in the shooting late inside the neighbors' home on Friday, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said.
Sheriffs deputies were joined by FBI agents as they continued searching for the suspect, Francisco Oropeza, 38, in a nearby wooded area 18 hours after the attack, Capers said.
"We are tracking him with dogs and men on horseback and drones in the air," Capers said. Law enforcement had found an abandoned cellphone and some discarded clothing in the search area, Capers said.
He was quoted as saying by other news outlets that all the victims were shot in the head "almost execution-style."
Police said all five victims were from Honduras.
Officials from Capers' office received a call from Cleveland, which is located about 45 miles north of Houston, about harassment at around 11:31 p.m. When they reached the scene they found several victims who had been shot, Capers said.
There were a total of 10 people in the house when the attack took place, Capers said, five of whom survived.
The victims were identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 8. They were all believed to be living in the house, but were not members of a single family, according to the FBI.
Enrique Reina, the foreign minister of Honduras, said the Honduran consulate was in contact with the authorities in Texas.
"We demand that the full weight of the law be applied against the person responsible for this crime," he wrote on Twitter.
The suspect stepped out of his house on Friday night and started shooting off rounds in his yard, which is when some of the victims stepped out to confront him, Capers said.
"The man walked over to the fence, said 'Hey, we're trying to keep the baby asleep in here,'" Capers said.
Both parties then went back to their houses. Oropeza "topped off his magazine, and walked down his driveway" onto the street then "into the people's house and started shooting, Capers said.
Police had been called to Oropeza's house on a couple of previous occasions over complaints about noise he was making shooting his gun in his yard, Capers said.
Reuters
Mon May 01 2023
An aerial view shows a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) van where a search is being conducted for Francisco Oropeza, 38, who police say shot dead five neighbors in Cleveland, Texas, U.S. April 29, 2023. - ABC affiliate KTRK via REUTERS
Hyundai to invest RM2.16 bil in Malaysia through strategic partnership with INOKOM
This investment includes efforts to upgrade INOKOM's existing assembly capacity to meet Hyundai's automotive needs.
‘C4Cinta’ sets record as highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film
'C4Cinta', directed by young filmmaker Karthik Shamalan, has set a new benchmark in Malaysian Tamil cinema.
Man charged with mother's murder, storing body in freezer
The court denied bail and scheduled case mention on Feb 7 for the submission of forensic, autopsy, and chemist reports.
Abolition of examination in schools to reduce pressure on pupils - Fadhlina
The classroom assessment approach offers a much more interesting learning ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.
Google, Meta urge Australia to delay bill on social media ban for children
Google and Meta says the government should wait for the results of an age-verification trial before going ahead.
Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request
It represents a big legal victory for Donald Trump, who won the Nov. 5 US election and is set to return to office on Jan. 20.
DHL plane crash in Lithuania leaves authorities searching for answers
Rescue services said the plane hit the ground, split into pieces and slid over 100 metres (110 yards).
National squad to hold friendly matches for 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup
The warm-up matches will involve matches against better ranked teams in the world, namely Austria (first) and Belgium (third).
G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision, with President Joe Biden describing it as outrageous.
Francissca Peter remembers Tan Sri Ahmad Nawab: A tribute to a musical legend
A legend who has influenced our music for decades, was one of the highlights of my career, says Francissca Peter.
TikTok decision coming soon as Jan. 19 divestment deadline looms
Judges are reviewing TikTok's challenge to a law requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
Lebanese sources: Biden, Macron set to announce Israel-Hezbollah truce
In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, "We're close" but "nothing is done until everything is done".
PM meets chaebol tycoon to attract more FDI to Malaysia
Chaebols are prominent figures from South Korea's family-owned conglomerates.
Govt won't allow non-citizen vehicles to enjoy RON95 subsidy - Economy Ministry
The implementation of the RON95 subsidy in 2025 is expected to provide savings of RM3.6 billion to government expenditure.
Ringgit opens lower as greenback gains ground
Dr Mohd Afzanizam says the market responded positively to news of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent heading the US Treasury Department.
Management of low-cost housing, gov't quarters, focus at Dewan Rakyat today
Also among the highlights, UNICEF report on 12.3pct of teenagers in Klang Valley's PPR face mental health issues and suicidal tendencies.
UN Resolution 1701, cornerstone of any Israel-Hezbollah truce
Here are the resolution's main terms, and a note about subsequent violations and tensions.
Record aid worker deaths in 2024 in 'era of impunity', UN says
So far this year there have been 281 aid worker victims, according to the Aid Worker Security database.
Why India's toxic farm fire counting method is disputed
Here's how India counts farm fires - a major contributor to severe pollution in the north - and why its method is being questioned.
Divisions on curbing plastic waste persist as UN treaty talks begin
South Korea is hosting the fifth and ostensibly final UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting this week.