Mass 'execution style' shooting leaves 5 dead, including a young child; suspect remains at large

A gunman who allegedly killed five people Friday night, including an 8-year-old child, remains on the loose, KVUE and other outlets reported.

Authorities found multiple people shot inside a home about 55 miles northeast of Houston, five of whom have died, according to KVUE. All were shot "almost execution style" from the neck up.

The youngest victim, who reportedly died at the hospital, was just 8 years old. Four other victims were found dead at the scene.

Two female victims were found in a bedroom laying on top of two surviving children. Capers said he believed the women were trying to shield the children, who were unharmed.

"The Honduran ladies that were laying over these children were doing it in such an effort as to protect the child," San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said, as the Associated Press reported.

Ten people, all from Honduras, were inside the home when the shots rang out. Some in the house had just moved from Houston earlier in the week, the outlet also reported.

Authorities say they received a call about 11:30 p.m. in the 100 bock of Walters Road in the Trails End area of Cleveland. Night shift patrol deputies were dispatched to the residence to address a harassment complaint.

Cleveland is a town of about 8,000 people in southeast Texas.

While en route, they received multiple 911 calls about an active shooter. On arrival, they found "multiple victims deceased in the [residence] and several others in critical condition from multiple gunshot wounds."

The alleged shooter, a 39-year-old neighbor whose identity is known to authorities, was reportedly shooting a gun on his porch. Neighbors confronted him about it, asking him to stop, noting that it was disrupting a baby's sleep.

"One of the victims came out of the house saying 'we have a small baby that's trying to sleep,' and the man said 'I'll shoot out in my front yard, do what I want to in my own residence,'" Sheriff Capers said in an interview with reporters.

The shooter was drunk when he began shooting an AR-style rifle, deputies told KTRK.

Judge Wells issued a warrant for the shooter's arrest and assigned a $5 million bond, Sheriff Capers reported in a Facebook post for the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office.

Texas Rangers were on scene on aiding with the investigation.

SJCSO asked people to avoid the area, as there was still a heavy police presence Saturday morning.

Watch KVUE's coverage of the disturbing incident below.

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