Fort Worth Man Fearful After FBI Misidentifies Him as Texas Shooter

Suspect Francisco Oropesa, 38, in an undated photo is accused of killing five in Cleveland, Texas, on April 29, 2023. (FBI Houston)

The family of a Fort Worth man said he fears for his safety after the FBI wrongly identified him as the suspect in a mass shooting that left five dead, including a 9-year-old boy, in Cleveland, Texas, in the early morning hours on April 29.

Francisco Oropeza of Fort Worth and shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa, 38, share a similar name except for the spelling of their last names.

Oropeza’s family told a local media outlet that he and his family have received death threats since the FBI mistakenly shared his name and images on social media.

“What if somebody sees the tweet and sees a Facebook share and sees the picture, and then they see him?” The Fort Worth man’s sister-in-law asked in an interview with KDFW-TV.

The woman’s identity was not released for safety reasons.

She said that Oropeza is married and has children. He’s a truck driver who also reportedly started a new job in North Texas last week.

“#WANTED Francisco Oropeza, 38. If you see him, please DO NOT approach him. He is considered armed and dangerous. If you have a tip related to the shooting or Oropeza’s whereabouts, please call the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office at 936-653-4367. #ClevelandTXshooting,” the FBI Houston office wrote on Twitter on Saturday, along with an image of the wrong man.

The agency’s multiple social media posts containing the name and image of the wrongly identified person have been shared thousands of times across multiple social media platforms since April 29.

The woman said her brother-in-law panicked and called the FBI when he saw the reports of the suspect containing his name and image.

“At that point, we’re like, oh, gosh, what do we do? This is being shared basically nationwide. It’s all over the place,” she said.

On Sunday, the FBI posted an update that it had shared an “incorrect image” of the suspect.

“An incorrect image of Francisco Oropeza with a blue backdrop was mistakenly disseminated earlier today. That image has been removed from the FBI social media accounts. Please do not use that photo. Law enforcement agencies continue the search for Oropeza,” the agency wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

A subsequent social media post updated new images and the correct last name spelling.

“Here are the new images of Francisco Oropesa and a prominent tattoo on his left forearm. Going forward, the subject’s last name will be spelled ‘Oropesa’ to better reflect his identity in law enforcement systems. This remains a fluid investigation,” the FBI Houston office wrote on social media on Sunday afternoon.

The agency said it is confident it now has the correct image of the suspect.

“We went back and looked at what we had, and now we are 100% confident we have the right photo out there, but it was, it was a mistake. We will own up to it,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the Houston office told the news outlet.

On Monday, at least two social media posts on the agency’s Twitter and Facebook accounts showing the wrong suspect and name spelling were still active.

“It’s a very horrible mistake,” Oropeza’s sister-in-law said. “I wish they would do better journaling before they post. With such a huge deal, do research on who the person is.”

The FBI Houston office did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

A statewide manhunt continues for Oropesa as the victims’ families make funeral arrangements for their loved ones.

A combined reward of $80,000 is being offered for information leading to Oropesa’s arrest.