A man accused of killing five neighbors after they asked him to stop shooting an AR-15-style weapon near their home was arrested Tuesday evening after a four-day-long manhunt that at one point involved more than 250 law enforcement officers.
After the tense manhunt, Francisco Oropesa, the fugitive suspected of killing five people in Cleveland, Texas, has been apprehended.
According to local authorities, Oropesa had been on the run since Friday, when the deadly shooting spree occurred. The victims, all neighbors of the suspect, were reportedly shot and killed in their homes.
Law enforcement officials launched a massive manhunt for Oropesa, mobilizing resources from multiple agencies and issuing public warnings to residents in the area. The search focused on wooded areas and nearby neighborhoods, as authorities believed Oropesa was still in the area.
The lead for Oropesa’s location, officials said, came from a tip on the FBI hotline at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.
On Tuesday, their efforts paid off when Oropesa was discovered hiding in a closet at a residence not far from where the shootings took place.
Oropesa was “caught hiding in a closet underneath some laundry,” San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said at a briefing Tuesday evening. “He is behind bars and will live out his life behind bars,” he said.
The suspect was arrested by a team from the U.S. Marshals, U.S. Border Patrol’s tactical unit and the Texas Department of Public Safety at 6:30 p.m. He was quickly taken into custody without incident.
The news of the arrest brought relief to the small community, which had been on edge since the deadly attack. Officials praised the efforts of law enforcement in tracking down the suspect and thanked the public for their assistance in the case.
“This is a tragic situation, and our hearts go out to the families of the victims,” said Cleveland Police Chief Jack Yates in a statement. “But thanks to the tireless work of our officers and the cooperation of the community, we were able to bring this suspect to justice.”
“He took everything from us, and now we’re living a nightmare from which we’ll never wake up,” said Lucía Guzmán, aunt of one of the victims. “The arrest will never erase what he did to my family, but at least now we can hope for some justice.”
Oropesa is currently being held in custody and faces multiple charges, including five counts of murder. The investigation into the case is ongoing, and officials say they will release more information as it becomes available.
You must log in to post a comment.