02 May 2023 , 12:58
929
0
The five victims killed in a mass shooting in Texas all came from the same extended family, it has been revealed.
Five people, including a nine-year-old boy who tried to save his mum, were gunned down at their home in Cleveland, Texas on April 29.
The victims were Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, her nine-year-old son Daniel Enrique Laso and family friends Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, and Josué Jonatán Cáceres, 18, who were in the property when a gunman walked in and started shooting.
Little Daniel's dad Wilson Garcia lost his wife and son in the horror killings and a manhunt is still underway to try and find the alleged gunman Francisco Oropesa after he fled from his home next door.
Oropesa is accused of going on a rampage after his neighbours asked him to keep the noise down when he was firing guns in his backyard.
Mass shooter avoids police despite being 'cornered' as five victims pictured
There are 'zero leads' in the manhunt for Francisco Oropesa (FBI/ZUMA Press Wire Service/REX/Shutterstock)
Border patrol agents have been told to keep an eye out (AP)An AR-15 assault rifle was recovered by police from the scene and 250 officers from the FBI are currently conducting a search.
The manhunt has entered its fourth day but FBI special agent James Smith told reporters the Bureau has "zero leads".
"We do not know where he is," he said. "We don't have any tips right now to where he may be. Right now, we're running into dead ends."
Border patrol agents have been told to be on the lookout and there is now an $80,000 reward for information that leads to Oropesa's arrest.
Here's everything we know so far about the victims, who were all part of the same extended family.
The family was ripped apart after the shooting (Daily Mirror)Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25 and Daniel Enrique Laso, nine
Sonia Argentina Guzman died along with her young son Daniel Enrique Laso. Daniel is said to have run towards his mum in an effort to try and hope before being shot himself.
Sonia was the first to die, reports sayWilson, Sonia's husband, said that Sonia told him to get inside because he is unlikely to fire at a woman.
“I told my wife, ‘Get inside. This man has loaded his weapon,” Garcia said. “My wife told me to go inside because ‘he won’t fire at me, I’m a woman.’”
Instead, Sonia was the first person to be shot by the gunman, who is alleged to have gone "room to room" shooting victims, who were left with wounds "from the neck up."
Wilson Garcia is consoled during a vigil for his son (David J Phillip/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Cleveland Independent School District said in a tribute to Daniel that the school was "heartbroken" by Daniel's death.
Mum who moved to US for better life died protecting kids as gunman killed five
"All of our prayers and thoughts are with the families and community impacted by this horrible tragedy," the statement said.
Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21
Five people died in the shooting which happened after an alleged noise complaint (HCH)Her partner Jefrinson Josué Rivera told ABC that Diana "gave everything for her children."
He said: "She never had issues with anyone. She was happy, humble and caring. She was so attentive to her children, her friends, and to me."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott caused an outcry among some when he described the victims as illegal immigrants. Mr Rivera said his partner of six years was registered in the US.
Diana was 'happy, humble and caring', her partner said (c)“We’ve since learned that at least one of the victims may have been in the United States legally,” Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze said in a statement.
“We regret if the information was incorrect and detracted from the important goal of finding and arresting the criminal.”
In Spanish, Mr Rivera told HCH: "I realised he [the gunman] was coming in our direction while armed with a rifle, so I tried to find something to defend myself with and found a machete.
Oropesa is believed to have fled the home on foot (AP)"But by the time I found the machete, shots had already been fired."
Mr Rivera reportedly said: “I’m going to kill you first because you’ve already killed my family” when the suspect allegedly threatened him.
Julisa Molina Rivera, 31
Julia, also named as 'Obdulia' in some reports died alongside Diana, according to police.
Authorities said the pair were found lying on top of two children, who both miraculously survived.
Julisa (pictured) and Diana were hailed as heroes (GoFundME)Mr Garcia said one of the women had told him to jump out a window “because my children were without a mother and one of their parents had to stay alive to take care of them.”
Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18
Jose was just 18 when he was killed at the property on April 29. Like his fellow victims, he was from Honduras and efforts are being made through a GoFundMe to repatriate their bodies.
The country's Secretary of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Enrique Reina, confirmed such efforts were being made.
Three children were present during the shooting and were taken to hospital before being released.
Jose Jonathan Casarez (GoFundME)An emotional San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said he didn't care if the victims were in the country illegally.
Tearfully, he said: "My heart is with this eight-year-old little boy, I don’t care if he was here legally, I don’t care if he was here illegally, he was in my county.
"Five people died in my county. And that’s where my heart is, in my county protecting my people to the best of my ability."