In the town of Cleveland, north of Houston, Texas, a devastating shooting occurred on Friday, claiming the lives of five people, including an eight-year-old boy. The gruesome incident unfolded after neighbors who were trying to sleep asked Francisco Oropeza, 38, to stop firing guns in his yard. According to San Jacinto Sheriff Greg Capers, the suspect could still have a weapon, although authorities believed they have recovered the AR-style rifle used in the shooting. The search area for Oropeza has been extended up to 10 or 20 miles from the scene, as authorities strive to apprehend the suspected perpetrator.
The victims, all believed to be from Honduras, were identified as Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18, and Daniel Enrique Laso, eight. Tragically, two of the victims were found lying over two children in an apparent attempt to shield them from the gunfire. The victims were among six people in the house at the time of the shooting, and surprisingly, none of the other occupants were injured.
According to the sheriff, the confrontation began after one of the individuals in the house recording the suspect walking up to the front door with a rifle. Police had previously spoken to Oropeza about shooting his gun in the yard, but it appears that their warning was ignored. The shooting occurred around midnight, and a neighbor, Rene Arevalo Sr, reported hearing the gunshots but didn’t think much of it, attributing it to a routine Friday evening activity in the area.
Five lives silenced in Texas gun massacre 2023
Arevalo’s cautionary words about living in Texas, where gun ownership is prevalent, ring alarmingly true. “I tell my wife all the time, ‘stay away from the neighbors’. Don’t argue with them. You never know how they’re going to react,” he stated. His words highlight the unpredictability of human behavior in the face of firearms. The shooting is just one of many mass killings that have plagued the United States this year, with at least 18 such incidents reported, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
As the investigation unfolds, loved ones of the victims will struggle to come to terms with the senseless loss of life. Meanwhile, authorities will be working tirelessly to bring Oropeza to justice and prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
