News from May 1 to 7: 2 Texas mass shootings, chemical plant fire, 7 killed near migrant center in Brownsville
HOUSTON - There's been a lot of things going on in the Houston area and across the Lone Star State this past week.
During the week of May 1 to 7, there have been two mass shootings within a week of each other in Texas, a Shell chemical plant in Deer Park caught fire and burned for hours, and seven were killed in Brownsville near a migrant shelter.
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Here's a compilation of a few of the news stories from this week.
Texas Cleveland Shooting suspect arrested
Manhunt ends: Gunman Francisco Oropeza accused of killing 5 held on $7.5 million bond
Francisco Oropeza, 38, is now being held in San Jacinto County, charged with 5 counts of murder. His bond was set at a total of $7.5 million. Authorities say they’re now looking to see if his charges could be upgraded to capital murder.
At 11:30 p.m. on April 28, Francisco Oropeza was shooting an Ar-15 outside his home in the 100 block of Walters Road in Cleveland, TX. Wilson Garcia, who was in the home next door, asked Oropeza to stop because there was a child inside who was scared.
That’s when Oropeza loaded his gun and forced himself inside their home, first turning his weapon on 25-year-old Sonia Argentina Guzman, Garcia’s wife. Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18, and Garcia’s son Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman, 8, were also killed in the home.
After the shooting, authorities began a manhunt to find Oropeza who fled on foot after the shooting. For the next four days, the FBI and multiple other agencies searched the Cleveland area for the gunman.
Eventually, he was found in Conroe in a home hiding underneath some laundry. According to documents, the home belonged to an aunt of Oropeza, and his domestic partner, Divimara Nava, 53, had it previously listed as her home.
Oropeza is charged with five counts of murder in San Jacinto County and Nava is accused of helping him hide from authorities in Montgomery County.
Domingo Castilla, a friend of Oropeza, was at the scene and arrested for marijuana on May 2. Authorities said Castilla is under investigation for helping Oropeza escape law enforcement.
Allen Premium Outlets Shooting: 8 victims killed, 7 injured; shooter 'neutralized'
Allen mall shooting: Officials identify the shooter who left 8 dead
In North Texas, a shooting at Allen Premium Outlets mall left 8 people dead and 7 others injured on Saturday. On Sunday, police identified the shooter as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia. FOX's Casey Stegall has more on the tragic event.
The Allen Police Department said one of its officers responded to Allen Premium Outlets for an unrelated call when they heard gunshots just after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Officials say the shooting killed eight people and sent others to hospitals, with a victim as young as 5-years-old.
The officer who was at the scene "engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat," police said. The shooting suspect was identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia.
Seven were pronounced dead on the scene, including the shooter, while two others died at the hospital.
There are three victims in critical condition and four in stable condition as of Sunday morning, police said.
Federal agents reviewed social media accounts they believe Garcia used and posts that expressed interest in white supremacist and neo-Nazi views, said the official, who could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
The official said Garcia had a patch on his chest when he was killed by police that read "RWDS," an acronym for the phrase "Right Wing Death Squad," which is popular among right-wing extremists and white supremacy groups.
Brownsville crash: 7 dead, at least 6 injured after driver plows into crowd near migrant shelter
Seven people were killed and at least six injured when a man crashed his vehicle into a crowd of pedestrians in Brownsville on Sunday around 8:30 a.m.
Lt. Martin Sandoval of the Brownsville Police Department said seven people died at the scene and six others have been transported to area hospitals. The driver was arrested and charged, but investigations are ongoing.
Authorities have yet to release any identifying information about the driver, but he is currently receiving medical treatment at an area hospital and is under 24-hour supervision. The suspect is also being tested for drugs and alcohol.
The incident took place outside Brownsville's Ozanam Center, a shelter for migrants and homeless people in the community. The victims were waiting at a city bus stop on the street next to the center.
It is unclear whether the shelter had any relevance to the attack.
Shell Deer Park chemical plant fire
Deer Park fire: Environmental organizations concerned about pollution, safety
Shell officials say a fire at their Deer Park chemicals facility has reignited hours after crews announced the fire had been extinguished. The fire near Highway 225 in Deer Park fire broke out shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday, injuring 9 contractors. FOX 26's Natalie Hee shares the latest details on the plant fire and response from environmental organizations.
On May 5, a fire broke out at the Shell Deer Park chemical plant southeast of Houston at 5900 SH-225 at East Beltway.
Nine contractors at the plant were injured and Shell officials said all nine were released after undergoing precautionary medical evaluations.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says the fire started from a heat exchange between two heavy gas oils as workers were conducting maintenance on a unit.
The fire reignited on May 6, according to officials, and has continued to burn as of this writing.
On Sunday, it was announced the wastewater storage at Shell had reached capacity due to the firefighting waters and the firefighting runoff and will be released to the Houston Ship Channel with booms in place to contain any product in the wastewater from contaminating the channel.
Sam Houston State University graduating seniors not allowed on stage
Graduating seniors at Sam Houston State University are upset after learning they will not be walking across the stage for their 2023 commencement ceremonies.
Several students told FOX 26 they believe it's the school's response to "dancing" or strolling that commonly happens with members of Greek-letter fraternities, sororities, and other social organizations as they receive their degrees on stage.
Several students we spoke with Wednesday said they are not bothered by students wanting to celebrate their graduation by strolling.
Sam Houston State told FOX 26 they're committed to hosting an event that is "accessible and as safe as possible for all guests and participants." A spokesperson for the school did not confirm whether strolling on stage prompted the need for safety.
2 women charged with theft of Bath and Body Works candles at Houston Premium Outlet Mall
Two women, Shaneque Taylor, 43, and Tamasha Bush, 32, were arrested and charged with felony theft after Harris County authorities found more than 70 stolen Bath and Body Works candles in their car.
They were arrested on May 4 after authorities responded to a theft in progress at the Bath and Body Works at the Houston Premium Outlet Mall and deputies found them trying to leave the mall in their vehicle.
The candles they attempted to steal were valued at $2,321.27 in total.
All the way over in Michigan, 24-year-old Kiara Bannister and 24-year-old Canedra Barabino, from Ohio were caught stealing candles from a Bloomfield Township Bath and Body Works on April 17.
Officials stopped the car the women were in and found "a plethora of Bath and Body Works candles scattered throughout the vehicle." The candles were valued at more than $1,600. Bannister was charged with first-degree retail fraud, and Barabino was charged with organized retail crime and third-degree retail fraud.
Kentucky Derby: Houston's Mattress Mack made $1.2M bet on Angel of Empire, lost
Houston’s Mattress Mack went to the Kentucky Derby this weekend and left with more than $1 million gone from his bank account.
Mack decided to place a last-minute bet of $1.2 million on Angel of Empire to win the derby.
However, Mack lost that bet after Mage won the 149th Kentucky Derby and Angel of Empire ended up coming in third.