Five People, Including 8-Year-Old Boy Killed In ‘Execution Style’ Shooting, Suspect Armed With AR-15 Remains On The Loose

Five people, including an 8-year-old boy, were killed in an “execution style” shooting at a Cleveland, Texas, home Friday night. 

Police identified the suspect as Francisco Oropeza, 39, and he is not yet in custody. Police believe he fled the scene either on foot or on a bicycle and is still within a two-mile radius of the area. A judge has issued an arrest warrant for Oropeza and assigned a $5 million bond.

Police were called to a home at 11:31 p.m. on Friday for a call about harassment. When the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office responded, officers located several victims between the ages of 8 and 40 years old. 

ABC News reports that three victims were female, and two were male. Two of the female victims were discovered in a bedroom covering two surviving children. Three minors covered in blood were located at the home but not injured. 

“In my opinion, they were actually trying to take care of the babies and keep them babies alive,” San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers told KTRK.

Authorities have not yet released any victims’ names but said they were all from Honduras. Capers said all the victims were shot “almost execution style” from the neck up. 

Capers said ten people were in the house, but no one else was injured. About four or five residents had just moved in from Houston within the last week. 

Police believe the shooting occurred after Oropeza got intoxicated and began shooting his AR-15 in the front yard of his residence. The neighbors asked him if he could stop because they had a baby trying to sleep.  

Oropeza, who has a history of shooting guns in his yard, is armed with an AR-15. He is described as a Hispanic man, 5-foot-8, and last seen wearing jeans, a black shirt, and work boots. Investigators said he has short black hair and a goatee.