Texas shooting – live: Francisco Oropesa and partner were ‘plotting escape to Mexico’ after Cleveland massacre

Francisco Oropesa and his partner were allegedly plotting their escape to Mexico after he killed five of his neighbours in a horror mass shooting in Cleveland, Texas.

Authorities said on Wednesday that the suspected gunman hid out in a home near Conroe just miles from the massacre while Divimara Lamar Nava brought him donuts from a local store.

Ms Lamar Nava also allegedly delivered a message to Mr Oropesa’s cousins asking them to help in their escape over the border – all the while she was pretending to cooperate with investigators.

She is now facing charges for helping Mr Oropesa following his capture on Tuesday.

The accused gunman had been the focus of a dramatic four-day manhunt in the wake of Friday’s shooting which unfolded when his neighbours asked him to stop shooting near their home because a baby was trying to sleep.

He allegedly stormed into his neighbours’ home with an AR-15-style rifle and opened fire on people inside.

Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, her nine-year-old son Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman, Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, and José Jonathan Cásarez, 18, were all killed in the shooting.

Key Points

• Texas shooting suspect in custody four days after five people killed over noise complaint

• Five dead in Texas shooting as armed suspect on the loose

• Police found Oropesa by surveilling his wife

• Victims in deadly Texas shooting named as survivor recounts confronting gunman with machete

• What do we know about the suspect?

Texas man wrongly identified by FBI as Cleveland shooting suspect is now in hiding over safety fears

11:00 , Ariana Baio

A man who shares a similar name to the suspect in a deadly shooting in Cleveland, Texas, is now hiding in fear for his safety after the FBI wrongly identified him in a social media post.

The man, Francisco Oropeza, has the same last name as the true suspect Francisco Oropesa, but spells it was a “z” instead of an “s”.

The Independent reports:

Man wrongly identified by FBI as Texas shooting suspect is now in hiding

Police investigating how Francisco Oropesa bought assault rifle

10:00 , Ariana Baio

Francisco Oropesa, a Texas man who was wanted for allegedly shooting five people in the city of Cleveland on Friday, may have illegally bought an assault rifle used in the shootings.

Greg Capers, sheriff of San Jacinto County, said officials are investigating how the 38-year-old was able to obtain such a weapon given the man’s previous brushes with law enforcement, including being deported four times.

The sheriff said he thought the man may have been able to “buy it from somebody else on the street.”

Authorities capture alleged shooter Francisco Oropesa

09:00 , Ariana Baio

Francisco Oropesa, the alleged shooter who killed five people in Cleveland, Texas, was captured after being on the run for four days.

The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office released Mr Oropesa’s photo and information related to the arrest on Wednesday (3 May).

Texas shooting suspect found hiding in closet under laundry days after five killed over noise complaint

08:00 , Ariana Baio

The gunman accused of shooting dead five neighbours in Texas after they made a noise complaint against him has been captured hiding in a closet under laundry after four days on the run.

Francisco Oropesa, 38, was arrested in the city of Cut and Shoot, Texas, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Tuesday evening.

Graeme Massie reports:

Texas shooting suspect found hiding in closet under laundry days after five killed

Nine-year-old boy died in Texas mass shooting when he ran to protect his mother from gunman

07:00 , Ariana Baio

Moments before nine-year-old Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman was shot and killed, he was running to protect his mother from the shooter, his heartbroken father said.

Ariana Baio reports:

Nine-year-old boy died in Texas shooting when he ran to protect his mother

Arrested: Domingo Castilla

06:00 , Ariana Baio

One of the individuals arrested in connection to the Texas mass shooting has been named Domingo Castilla.

“Several” arrests were made after Francisco Oropesa was taken into custody – but officials have kept their identities under wraps.

San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon said at a press conference on Wednesday that one of the people arrested was Mr Oropesa’s friend Mr Castilla.

He was charged with marijuana possession but is expected to also face charges of obstructing Mr Oropesa’s apprehension, Mr Dillon said.

He was arrested on Tuesday in the Trail’s End neighborhood not far from where the five victims were shot dead.

Heroic mother confronted Texas gunman at door after calling 911 five times before horror mass shooting

05:00 , Ariana Baio

A mother gunned down in a mass shooting in Texas on Friday was killed when she heroically confronted the gunman at the doorway to her home after the family had called 911 five times to report the suspect.

Wilson Garcia spoke out at a vigil in Cleveland, Texas, on Sunday night after his wife Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, and nine-year-old son Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman were among the five innocent victims killed in the shocking massacre.

Rachel Sharp reports:

Heroic mother confronted Texas gunman after calling 911 five times before shooting

What we know about Texas shooting suspect accused of killing five over ‘noise complaint’

04:00 , Ariana Baio

After four days of searching, law enforcement captured 38-year-old Francisco Oropesa, who is suspected of fatally shooting five people in Cleveland, Texas.

Mr Oropesa allegedly entered his neighbor’s home armed with an assault-style rifle on Friday evening (28 April) after his neighbor, Wilson Garcia, asked him to stop shooting his gun in his backyard because it was keeping Mr Garcia’s baby awake.

The Independent reports:

Who is Texas shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa?

Texas shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa had been deported from US four times

03:00 , Ariana Baio

Francisco Oropesa, the man accused of fatally shooting five people including a nine-year-old boy in Cleveland, Texas this past weekend has been deported from the US four times, according to reports.

Mr Oropesa, allegedly an undocumented immigrant from Mexico according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office, had been apprehended and removed from the US several times, according to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) source.

The source told The Independent that Mr Oropesa, whose full name is reportedly Francisco Oropesa Perez-Torres, was first removed by an immigration judge in March 2009.

The Independent reports:

Texas shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa had been deported from US four times

Francisco Oropesa charged with first-degree murder

02:00 , Ariana Baio

Following an investigation where leads seemed to be few and far between, the prosecution of Francisco Oropesa is now moving swiftly following his arrest on Tuesday.

On Tuesday evening, the 38-year-old was moved to the Montgomery County, Texas, jail and charged with first-degree murder, NBC News reports.

Law enforcement provide press release on Divimara Nava arrest

01:00 , Ariana Baio

Greg Abbott forced to walk back ‘illegal immigrants’ comment about Texas shooting victims

00:00 , Ariana Baio

Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office walked back on the language used in a statement about the immigration status of victims in the Cleveland, Texas mass shooting.

Spokesperson Renae Eze said in a statement provided to The Independent that the governor’s office regrets if the information they provided was “incorrect” or “detracted from the important goal of finding and arresting the criminal.”

Ariana Baio reports:

Greg Abbott forced to walk back ‘illegal immigrants’ comment about shooting victims

Authorities increase Francisco Oropesa’s bond

23:00 , Ariana Baio

The San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday evening they would be increasing suspected shooter Francisco Oropesa’s bond from $5m to $7.5m.

Why Greg Abbott’s response to the latest Texas mass shooting shouldn’t come as a surprise

22:30 , Ariana Baio

When five people were shot dead in their home over a noise complaint, Greg Abbott labelled the victims ‘illegal immigrants’. True to form with past shootings in his state, he made no mention of the role his own lax gun laws may have played.

Rachel Sharp reports:

Greg Abbott’s response to the latest Texas mass shooting shouldn’t come as a surprise

ICYMI: Texas shooting suspect found hiding in closet under laundry days after five killed over noise complaint

22:00 , Ariana Baio

The gunman accused of shooting dead five neighbours in Texas after they made a noise complaint against him has been captured hiding in a closet under laundry after four days on the run.

Francisco Oropesa, 38, was arrested in the city of Cut and Shoot, Texas, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Tuesday evening.

Graeme Massie reports:

Texas shooting suspect found hiding in closet under laundry days after five killed

Suspected shooter was allegedly planning escape to Mexico

21:30 , Ariana Baio

Suspected Cleveland shooter Francisco Oropesa was allegedly trying to flee to Mexico, according to a prosecutor.

During Mr Oropesa’s partner’s arraignment hearing, a prosecutor said Mr Oropesa asked his partner, Divimara Lamar Nava, to contact his cousins in the area to see if they could arrange for him to flee to Mexico, his native country.

However, the cousins refused to help.

Suspect was not hiding at home the entire time

21:00 , Ariana Baio

Suspected shooter Francisco Oropesa was not hiding at the home in Cut and Shoot the entire time he was on the run, according to authorities.

Mr Oropesa had been at large since Friday night when he allegedly shot dead five neighbours in Cleveland, Texas.

A huge manhunt was launched to find him.

It is not clear where the suspect was hiding prior to Tuesday’s capture.

On Tuesday, he was tracked down to a home tied to a family member. He was found hiding under a pile of laundry in a closet.

Alleged Texas shooter’s partner brought him doughnuts and plotted escape to Mexico while he was on the run

20:30 , Ariana Baio

While the suspected Cleveland, Texas, shooter Francisco Oropesa was hiding from authorities, his partner Divimara Lamar Nava was bringing him doughnuts and plotting their escape, all while seeming to cooperate with police, according to authorities.

Ariana Baio reports:

Alleged Texas shooter’s partner brought him doughnuts while he was on the run

Mystery tipster led authorities to suspect

20:00 , Ariana Baio

The wife of accused mass shooter Francisco Oropesa is among the individuals arrested in connection to his capture, it has been confirmed.

The San Jacinto County sheriff told the Associated Press that Mr Oropesa’s partner was taken into custody following his capture in Cut and Shoot on Tuesday.

Earlier in the investigation, authorities said that Mr Oropesa’s partner was in “constant contact” with investigators trying to track him down.

On Tuesday, officials carried out surveillance on her and located Mr Oropesa hiding in a closet at a home connected to a family member.

Neighbour of Francisco Oropesa says she bought a gun after shooting

19:30 , Ariana Baio

A neighbour of the suspected Cleveland, Texas shooter, Francisco Oropesa, told NBC News she bought a gun after last Friday’s mass shooting.

The neighbour, who asked only to be identified by her first name, Vanessa, said that her father used to shoot guns and drink with Mr Oropesa and “figured out” that Mr Oropesa was “not a good person.”

“And I’m glad he did, because what if it was us?” Vanessa said.

The neighbour also said she was not surprised Mr Oropesa managed to avoid law enforcement because he avoided police when being served with an alleged protective order last year

“He was hiding from the police that time, too,” she said.

Neighbour describes moment police swooped on suspect

19:00 , Ariana Baio

A neighbour has described the moment police swooped on suspected shooter Francisco Oropesa.

Angel Lozano told The Associated Press that he was unloading tools from his truck on Tuesday night at his home in Cut and Shoot close to the city of Conroe.

All of a sudden he said he saw a stream of unmarked police cars pouring into the neighbourhood.

“A bunch of people got out with guns and they went straight to the house and surrounded the area,” he said.

“It was a really fast job they did. They got him without people getting hurt or another shooting.”

ICYMI: How a complaint over gun noise turned into a mass murder

18:30 , Ariana Baio

The massacre unfolded last Friday night (28 April) in Cleveland, Texas, when the family allegedly asked their neighbour, Francisco Oropesa, to stop shooting rounds in his yard because they had children trying to sleep.

What followed was a tragic shooting that took the lives of five people, including a nine-year-old child, a four-day-long manhunt and arrests.

The Independent reports:

Everything we know about Texas mass shooting that left five dead

FBI thank law enforcement involved in capture of suspected shooter

18:00 , Ariana Baio

FBI Assistant Special Agent Jimmy Paul thanked members of law enforcement and the person who submitted an anonymous tip that led to the arrest of suspected gunman Francisco Oropesa.

“Thank you to all of the FBI personnel and partner law enforcement agencies who’ve worked non-stop to arrest this individual to try to bring some justice to the 5 victims and return a sense of security back to the San Jacinto County community,” Mr Paul said in a statement posted to the FBI Houston’s Twitter page.

He added, “Thank you to the person who had the courage to call in this tip. We always said it wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ he would be captured, and we’re glad this evening was that ‘when’ we’ve all been waiting for.”

“To the victims and the families, you are at the forefront of our minds. We are delighted that he’s finally in custody.”

Two women died protecting children who survived massacre sparked by noise complaint

17:30 , Ariana Baio

During the tragic shooting in Cleveland, Texas that took place last Friday, two adult females died while trying to protect two children from the shooting.

Andrea Blanco reports:

Two women died protecting kids who survived Texas massacre sparked by noise complaint

Alleged shooter Francisco Oropesa booked into the San Jacinto County Jail

17:00 , Ariana Baio

FBI say the investigation will be prosecuted by San Jacinto County

16:45 , Ariana Baio

FBI Houston tweeted on Wednesday that the investigation into the Cleveland shooting would be led by the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the San Jacinto County District Attorney’s Office.

Francisco Oropesa’s partner among ‘several’ arrested in Texas shooting

16:20 , Ariana Baio

Multiple people have been arrested in connection to a mass shooting that left five people dead in Cleveland, Texas, including the partner of the suspected gunman Francisco Oropesa.

The Independent reports:

Francisco Oropesa’s wife among ‘several’ arrested in Texas shooting

Authorities issue press release for Divimara Nava

16:00 , Ariana Baio

Friend of Francisco Oropesa among those arrested

15:40 , Ariana Baio

Investigators said that Domingo Castilla, a friend of suspected shooter Franciso Oropesa, was arrested and booked in the San Jacinto County Jail according to the Associated Press.

On Wednesday, authorities revealed that “several” other people were arrested in addition to Mr Oropesa who is accused of killing five people last Friday.

That includes Mr Castilla who was charged with marijuana possession, though authorities are expected to charge him with obstructing Mr Oropesa’s apprehension, San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon said during a news conference.

Who are the victims of the shooting?

15:10 , Ariana Baio

Five people died last Friday during a shooting in Cleveland Texas.

Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman, 9, attended Northside Elementary in Cleveland where students assembled memorial offerings that included flowers, stuffed animals and a soccer ball.

Daniel loved soccer, and his third-grade classmates all signed the ball. The school’s principal said Daniel had a contagious smile.

Sonia Argentina Guzmán, 25, was the mother of Daniel Guzman and the first to die during the shooting.

Wilson Garcia said he urged his wife to retreat after suspected shooter Francisco Oroepsa approached the home armed with a gun. But Ms Guzman told Mr Garcia, “told me to go inside because ‘He won’t fire at me. I’m a woman.’”

Ms Guzman was from Honrudas. Her brother, German Guzman, said his sister moved to the United States looking for work.

Diana Velásquez Alvarado, 21, was the mother to two children.

Ms Alvarado left Honduras when she was a teenager, seeking opportunity. According to the Associated Press, Ms Alvarado received residency status in the United States recently.

Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, was also the mother to two children.

Ms Rivera shielded a baby and a two-year-old girl from gunfire during the attack, saving the children’s lives.

José Jonathan Casarez, 18, was also from Hondruas. There is little information about him as of now.