Gonzalo Lopez, who has been on the run since he stabbed a prison bus driver last month, was fatally shot by police officers after he allegedly killed a family of five.
CBS News reports that the 46-year-old convicted murderer was shot and killed in a police shootout in Jourdanton, Texas on Thursday. When Lopez engaged with the officers, he was reportedly equipped with an AR-15 style rifle and a pistol, according to Jason Clark, chief of staff for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. No officers were injured in the shootout, which happened around 10:30 p.m. local time in the evening.
A manhunt was launched after he escaped from his prison bus in Centerville, and he was later identified as the prime suspect in the murder of a grandfather and four children at a home in rural Texas. An individual told police they were concerned about a elderly relative they had not heard from in a while, and when officers showed up at the house they found five bodies.
Lopez also stole a truck from the family’s home, and he later found himself in a car chase with officers when he was spotted by authorities in Atascosa County. The vehicle was spiked by law enforcement, and he crashed into a nearby tree to flee on foot. "Those officers very swiftly shot and killed Lopez bringing this whole ordeal to an end," added Clark.
While the names of the four children Lopez killed were not released by authorities, the Tomball School District said they were students in the district. "There are no words. During this difficult time, the Tomball community is continuing to pull together following the tragic loss of four students," said Superintendent Martha-Salazar-Zamora.
It’s currently unclear how long Lopez was situated at the cabin, which the family of five arrived at on Thursday morning. Clark has said there are plans to seriously review how Lopez was able to escape from his prison bus. “"It's incumbent upon us to go backwards to figure out how did he escape, how did he beat our security protocols in order to leave that transport vehicle," Clark said.
