A man accused of murdering five neighbours after they requested him to stop firing his gun in his yard was apprehended Tuesday following a days-long search, according to Texas authorities.
Francisco Oropesa had escaped officials since the shooting on Friday in Cleveland, Texas, a small hamlet in southeastern Texas.
San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said at a press conference Tuesday evening that the suspect was now in custody. He said that the suspect was fought hiding under a pile of clothing.
The Mexican national, 38, is accused of assaulting his neighbours after they allegedly requested that he cease firing his semi-automatic AR-15 weapon because the noise kept a newborn awake.
The fatalities ranged in age from nine to 31, with several more individuals in critical condition after being shot multiple times.
Capers stated that the surviving family members could "rest easy" now that Oropesa was in jail.
Authorities sent hundreds of officers on the hunt for the culprit and announced a $80,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
According to FBI special agent Jimmy Paul, a call to the bureau's tip line led law enforcement to Oropesa, who was apprehended north of Houston at roughly 6:45 p.m. local time.
Capers recounted a terrifying scene when cops arrived at the victims' home after receiving a report about "harassment" at 11:30 p.m. on Friday.
Bodies were scattered over the floor from the front door to the bedroom, where two deceased females were discovered lying on top of two terrified children who had survived the killing spree.
The attack on Friday instantly became grist for the heated immigration debate in the United States.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was chastised for referring the suspect as having killed five people in the country illegally, even though their immigration status was not immediately evident. Abbott later stated that at least one victim may have been in the US legally.
All of the shooting victims were originally from Honduras.
According to Honduran Deputy Foreign Minister Tony Garcia, one of the victims will be buried in the United States. At the same time, the remaining four will be returned to their families in the coming days.
