FBI, local authorities offer $80,000 reward for arrest of Texas mass shooting suspect

The FBI Houston office and local authorities in Texas are offering a combined $80,000 reward for the arrest of a mass shooting suspect who allegedly shot and killed five people in a town north of Houston on Friday.

“Like the sheriff has said, we have over 200 law enforcement personnel from federal, state and local agencies trying to bring this subject into custody so we can bring justice to those five victims and to ensure this community is safe,” FBI Houston Special Agent James Smith said at a press conference Sunday.

Smith announced Sunday that the FBI will be offering an additional $25,000 reward for the arrest of Francisco Oropesa, who is the suspect for allegedly killing five people, including an 8 year old, after shooting into his neighbor’s home Friday night. This will bring the total reward to $80,000, as local and state authorities are also offering a reward of $55,000.

“We cannot continue down this path until we get him apprehended and arrested. So again, we’re asking everyone for your help till we can bring this suspect – or this monster I will call him – to justice,” he added.

Authorities have launched a search looking for the suspect with 250 law enforcement officers surveying the area, but Smith said that so far, they still do not know where Oropesa could be. He said that they believe that Oropesa has talked to his friends, and hopes that the reward will bring law enforcement agencies new tips and information.

“I get pretty much can guarantee he’s contacted some of his friends. We just don’t know who friends, what friends they are,” Smith said. “And that’s what we need from the public is any type of information because right now, we’re just running into dead ends.”

The FBI Houston office redacted a previous photo that they said was Oropesa on Sunday, saying in a tweet that a previous image of the suspect was incorrect. The office disseminated new images of Oropesa later on Sunday, including an image of a tattoo on his left forearm.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said at the press conference that officers are going door to door in search of Oropesa to look for tips and ask people in the area questions. He said that they have been in contact with Oropesa’s wife, who he says has been “available” to the police.

“We’re sending them people door to door looking for any kind of a lead, a camera, a ring camera, security camera, anything that they might be able to tell us,” Capers said. “They knew him. They knew he went here, they knew he did this.”