'Very dangerous' | Manhunt continues after 5 killed in San Jacinto County, sheriff says

Jump to video position in transcript

Autoscroll

San Jacinto County authorities say a

Francisco Auto Pesa opened fire on

his neighbors last night after they

asked him to stop shooting because

a young child was trying to sleep.

Five people were killed,

three others wounded at their home on

Walter Drive in the Trails and subdivision,

investigators have surrounded a

wooded area off of Festoria Tram Rd.

To search for Oro Pesa,

we have Lime team coverage for each night.

Brittany Ford has been speaking

with neighbors out there,

but first leading us off Grace White

with more on what happened and

the latest on this manhunt, Grace.

Cheryl, the biggest update came

from the sheriff just moments ago.

He told us that this suspect is no longer

cornered and here's what they're up against.

This is a rural community.

These thick woods go on for miles and miles.

This sheriff did confirm they now have the

suspects AR style rifle they believed he

used in this shooting in their custody.

But of course their goal to catch him

tonight before he hurts anyone else.

Officers on the ground,

aided by drones and helicopters,

today launched an intense search

for the suspected gunman,

38 year old Francisco Oropeza.

Police believe he's hiding

nearby in a wooded area.

Authorities say the shooting rampage

began just after 11:30 Friday night.

A Honduran family trying to put

a young child to bed ask their

neighbor Oropeza to stop firing

his gun instead, police say.

He turned it on them.

The man went back in the house.

Next thing they know, he's walking up

the driveway with the rifle in hand.

At least 10 people inside

the home were hit by bullets.

Five died, including an 8 year old boy.

The sheriff says the female victims

died trying to protect children.

They're always shooting.

They're always calling the cops.

I have two babies.

They got scared, but we're like,

well, that's normal.

They're always shooting.

Police sources tell us the suspect was

drinking the night of the shooting

and authorities are describing

him as a Mexican citizen, Cheryl,

who's been deported twice before.

Terrible situation out there tonight.

Let's hope they find him soon.

Thank you so much, Grace White.

We have also learned the names of the five

victims 25 year old Sonia Argentina Guzman.

21 year old Diana Velazquez Alvarado.

31 year old who? Lisa Molina Rivera,

18 year old Jonathan Cazares and

eight-year old Daniel Enrique Lasso.

Not surprising,

neighbors are still trying to come

to grips with this horrific tragedy.

Our Brittany Ford is alive this

afternoon with more on what she

is hearing from folks out there.

And Brittany?

Absolutely scary.

Well, Cheryl, yeah.

Neighbors told me it's not uncommon

to hear gunshots in this area,

but said they never expected

something like this would happen.

You can take a look at some video.

This is the neighborhood

where this all unfolded.

People I spoke to say they're

familiar with Orapeza and his wife.

They described him as someone

who would occasionally wave

but usually kept to himself.

The Sheriff's Office says there has been

a history at Orapeza's home last night,

the most recent,

where things took a dead.

Turn and he's wanted for shooting and

killing five people who live next door.

Again, we just learned the

identities of those victims,

one of them as young as eight years old.

Neighbors we spoke to are still

trying to process what happened.

I mean, I can't believe it.

It's hard to think about those

people dead and their families

more more than anything.

Their families, their babies.

I guess that's what happens.

There's a lot of people here that

like to shoot guns and I it was just

a matter of time before something

like this happened, I guess.

And the last update we got from the

sheriff is they believe that Orapeza is

no longer in this perimeter they've been

focusing on for a majority of the day.

They have now expanded search efforts

to rounder bout of the area of a back

out here live the FBI at describing

Orapeza as armed and dangerous.

If you see him you should call 911

immediately reporting in San Jacinto County,

Brittany Ford, KHOU 11 News.