5 shot dead in Texas, gunman at loose

Houston: Five people, including an eight-year-old, were killed in a shooting at a home in southeast Texas, authorities confirmed on Saturday. A suspect armed with an AR-15 style rifle is still on the run, local media reported.

Police officers responded to the shooting at about 11:30 p.m. local time (0330 GMT Saturday) after receiving a call about harassment at the home in Cleveland, nearly 55 miles (89 km) north of Houston, according to the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office.

All of the victims, ranging from eight to about 40-years-old, were from Honduras, said Sheriff Greg Capers of the San Jacinto County. At least 10 people were at the property when police arrived, Xinhua news agency reported.

Investigators said they believe the suspect was intoxicated and began shooting an AR-15 in his front yard. That's when neighbours asked him to be quiet because they had a baby who was trying to sleep, according to Capers.

"My understanding is that the victims, they came over to the fence and said 'Hey could (you not do your) shooting out in the yard? We have a young baby that's trying to go to sleep," and he had been drinking, and he says 'I'll do what I want to in my front yard,'" Capers told ABC News' Houston station KTRK.

The suspect then began shooting inside the home, he said.

"When we got here, the two females in the bedroom were laying on top of two of three younger children" that survived, said Capers, "Everybody that was shot was shot from the neck up almost execution style, basically in the head."

Capers said the police have identified the shooter, a male from Mexico, and found two other weapons in his house following the shooting.

Veronica Pineda, a nearby resident, told KTRK that she has grown accustomed to neighbours shooting firearms in the area.