SAN JACINTO COUNTY, Texas — A friend of Sonia Guzmán, the woman who was one of the five people killed in the mass shooting in San Jacinto County, said the woman she grew to know was strong.
Juanis Lopez said she met Guzmán four years ago, in cosmetology school. They ended up graduating together.
Lopez said Guzmán had a strong willpower to succeed. She said Guzmán was ambitious and had a lot of goals in life.
She said Guzmán was a hard worker and was determined to make her dreams come true for herself and her family in the United States.
"She always had so many dreams she was full of happiness," Lopez told KHOU 11's Anayeli Ruiz in Spanish. "Sonia was a woman that would transmit so much strength and she had so much thirst to make all her dreams come true."
Guzmán was from Honduras and worked hard for her family. She was eventually able to get more of her family members to the States, including her son.
Lopez said Guzmán's life and legacy should serve as an inspiration to others.
Lopez said she met Guzmán when she was 20. She said that within four days of knowing her, she realized her friend's strength. She said Guzmán would talk about her goals and wouldn't let anything get in her way of accomplishing them.
Lopez didn't know the accused gunman, 38-year-old Francisco Oropeza. She said that anyone who knows anything about his whereabouts should call police.
Lopez also said she didn't know any of the other victims in the shooting.
Below is a full translation of the conversation KHOU 11's Marimar Tello had with Juanis Lopez.
How did you meet her?
Juanis: She took a class with me about 4 years ago. That's how I met Sonia. Then I accompanied her on important moments of her life like when she inagurated her beauty salon, family gatherings or her children parties.
She was a very nice young lady. I am giving this interview with all my respect to the family to mainly honor her life and who she was.
I admired her drive and will to succeed. She was determined to succeed and achieve the American dream since she arrived from Honduras.
I met her shortly after she had just arrived from Honduras. She was ready to bring her son from Honduras. She eventually did. It's very painful.
I can not imagine
So, she came to Houston with the idea to achieve the American Dream.
You had the opportunity to interact with her, how was it like having to work next to her as your student?
Juanis She had a strong willpower to succeed. She got her cosmetologist license, she was determined. She enrolled in the course with me.
She was ambitious, she had so many dreams and goals. She slowly began to achieve new goals.
She had desire to succeed.
Would you consider her the definition of the American Dream?
She was a warrior and helped out her family. She helped bring several of her family members from Honduras.
She was a warrior; we need to honor her life as the woman she was.
May her legacy live to inspire other young girls.
We are all still shocked of what happened to her. This has shocked not only the Latino community but I would say the whole world.
How old was Sonia when you met her?
She was 20 years old. She was very young; she was a strong woman.
Within only 4 days of meeting her I realized what she was made out of. I remember telling her she would accomplish anything with her willpower and positive energy.
She would talk about her goals and nothing could stop her when she put her mind into something.
Did you know the man who committed this crime?
No, never did I meet the murdered. I feel so angry. It's just hard to think that someone could be so evil that would kill these victims.
He destroyed these families. I am angry.
If anyone knows of his whereabouts report to him. He needs to pay for what he did.
Me as a Mexican I feel disgusted. I would like to emphasize that not all of the Mexicans are like that, we are people that come here and work.
There are people like this man that damage our reputation as Latinos as Mexicans.
Did you know all the other victims involved?
No I did not know the other victims.
I had the opportunity to meet her cousin Karen and want to send her my deepest condolences. We are here for the family to help and bring our support.
Sending prayers and thoughts to all.
The crime
On Friday night around 11:30 p.m., Sheriff Greg Capers said his department got a call about a harassment incident at a home on Walter Drive in the Trails End subdivision.
Investigators said Oropeza, 38, was shooting guns on his property when he was confronted by neighbors who asked him to stop shooting because they had a young child who was trying to sleep.
"The next thing they know, he's walking up the driveway with a rifle in hand," Capers said.
Oropeza walked up to the home and began firing.
The house held 15 people in all, several of them friends who had been there to join a family on a church retreat. Survivors said Oropeza seemed intent on killing everyone.
Capers said Oropeza escaped the area after the shooting. Several guns were found at his home by a SWAT team. Capers said Oropeza was known to shoot his rifle in the front yard and that they've had numerous calls to the area.
He still hasn't been caught but the sheriff's office said he has been charged with five counts of murder.