2023-05-01 15:43:21
A race against time. Francisco Oropesa, 38, is accused of killing five of his neighbors in Cleveland, Texas, including a 9-year-old child, on Friday April 28, after they asked him to stop shooting outside with his rifle, reports CNN.
Visibly upset by the remarks from the neighborhood, the drunk gunman replied that he was doing whatever he wanted in his yard, before returning to the house 10 to 20 minutes later to execute the five people, aged 31, at point-blank range. 25, 21, 18 and 9 years old, with his rifle. Five other people in the house were not killed, including three children, who were nevertheless found covered in blood, without being injured. Authorities believe two women died while using their bodies to protect surviving children.
More than 200 law enforcement officers are looking for him and are going door to door asking for information from the neighborhood. Investigators initially tracked the suspect using his mobile phone, but said on Saturday evening the trail had cooled and the suspect could now be anywhere.
Already 184 mass killings in 2023 in the United States
Authorities are also posting Spanish-language wanted notices around the area to let people know they’re looking for the suspect, the San Jacito County (Texas) sheriff said at a news conference Sunday. The FBI has announced an $80,000 reward for anyone providing information leading to his arrest.
“We don’t have any information on his whereabouts at this time, so we offered this reward, hoping someone could call us,” the FBI agent said. at Sunday’s press conference. “I can almost guarantee you that he contacted some of his friends. (…) We don’t know who these friends are and this is the information we need from the public, as well as any type of information because we are currently at an impasse. »
The Houston FBI warned on Twitter that the individual is “armed and dangerous” and urges anyone who has seen him not to approach him.
Since the start of the year, at least 184 mass shootings have broken out in the United States, according to the organization Gun Violence Archive. As soon as four or more people are shot, not counting the shooter, the organization considers the killing a mass shooting, recalls CNN.
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