Gov. Abbott issues reward for Francisco Oropeza
SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: According to an FBI spokesperson there are "zero leads" in the search for Francisco Oropeza. Now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a $50,000 reward for his capture. The FBI has added an additional $30,000 bringing the total to $80,000.
UPDATE: Suspect remains at large as search area widens
San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers and and FBI officials addressed the media and reported they have widened the search area to a 10-20 mile radius. Officials had honed in on his location by tracking a cellphone, but it was found along with articles of clothing.
The suspect is considered armed and dangerous.
The names of the victims have also been released:
Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25
Diana Valazcuez Alvarado, 21
Julia Molina Rivera, 31
Jose Jonathan Casarec, 18
Daniel Enrique Laso, 8
According to an FBI spokesperson there are no further press briefings scheduled for the day, unless the suspect is apprehended.
Follow The Vindicator for updates.
CLEVELAND – A search for a gunman in a mass shooting of five individuals, including an 8-year-old child, just west of town in San Jacinto County is underway.
The identity of Francisco Oropeza, 39, a Mexican national was named by law enforcement earlier in the day. He was originally believed to have made it out of the area, but new information has him within a 2 mile radius of the crime scene.
"He is the one that went over to his nextdoor neighbors and executed five of the 10 people at the house," San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers told The Vindicator.
Capers hopes to locate the suspect soon and serve the five arrest warrants that have been issued.
Law enforcement has moved the investigation from the crime scene to another location and have moved the media to a staging area.
According to Capers, deputies were dispatched to a call in the 100 block of Walters Road in the Trails End area of Cleveland around midnight on a harassment complaint.
“While en route, the communications center received multiple 911 calls of an active shooter incident at the dispatch location. Multiple deputies arrived at the residence and located multiple victims deceased in a resident and several others in critical condition from multiple gunshot wounds,” the statement said.
At that time, the SWAT team from Montgomery County was dispatched to assist in the investigation and cleared several properties in the area. It was determined the suspect had fled the county originally.
Five warrants including a $5 million bond have been issued by 411th District Court Judge John Wells.
“At this time, there are four people confirmed deceased inside of the residence. It was reported that the 8-year-old child was pronounced deceased at the hospital. There were three other patients transported to the hospital. Their status is not known at this time. There were two additional people inside the residence that were evaluated on scene and released.”
The victims' identities are not being released to the public at this time, as the next of kin still needs to be notified.
The investigation is ongoing and authorities are asking the public to avoid the area.
This is an ongoing story and more details will be available as they are released.