A search warrant affidavit names possible offenses after John Mendoza Jr. was shot during a June 1 pursuit.
LAKE JACKSON, TX — Texas Rangers found probable cause to investigate former Brazoria County sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Tippit for possible manslaughter after he fatally shot 18-year-old John Mendoza Jr. during a pursuit that ended inside a garage, court records show.
The finding appears in a search warrant affidavit tied to the June 1 shooting on Indian Warrior Trail in Lake Jackson. The affidavit says investigators also listed possible criminally negligent homicide and aggravated assault by a public servant. Tippit has not been charged. The case remains under review by the Texas Rangers and the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office, with a grand jury expected to decide whether criminal charges are warranted.
The case began shortly after midnight when Tippit tried to stop a red Dodge Challenger near Oyster Creek Drive and FM 2004, according to the affidavit. Investigators said the vehicle entered FM 2004 from Oyster Creek Drive in Richwood and lost traction before recovering. Dash camera video showed Tippit followed the car, then activated his emergency lights and siren after the Challenger sped away. The affidavit says the car reached about 120 mph and ran six red lights before arriving at a home on Indian Warrior Trail. Sheriff Bo Stallman later said Tippit was fired for policy violations tied to the handling and discharge of his firearm. “My decision is entirely independent of the ongoing criminal investigation,” Stallman said.
The affidavit, filed by Texas Ranger Aaron Arizmendi, says body camera and dash camera footage showed the Challenger pulling into a driveway as the home’s two-car garage door opened. The car went inside, and the garage door began closing. Investigators said Tippit entered the garage, moved toward the driver’s side door, drew his Glock 19X handgun and fired one shot through the driver’s side window into the passenger area. After opening the door, Tippit saw the driver had been hit. The driver was later identified as Mendoza, a Texas State University student from Lake Jackson. Investigators said Tippit then radioed dispatch that he had an “accidental discharge” and reported that one man was bleeding. The affidavit says Tippit started lifesaving aid until emergency responders arrived.
A custodial death report submitted by the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office says Mendoza died from a gunshot wound to his left upper extremity that entered his torso. The report lists the manner of death as homicide and identifies law enforcement personnel as the cause of death. Norman Giles, an outside attorney representing Brazoria County and the district attorney’s office, said that wording came from preset menu options in the report and was not meant to shape a public account of the case. Investigators recovered a spent 9 mm casing inside the garage and seized Tippit’s handgun. The search warrant sought forensic testing to determine whether the weapon was working properly and whether ballistic evidence matched the fatal shot.
Mendoza’s death drew public calls for answers from his family, local residents and activists. Family attorney Charles Adams has said Mendoza and the three friends in the car were unarmed and that no illegal items were found. Adams has also called for the release of audio and video recordings connected to the shooting. Officials have not publicly released the body camera footage. The sheriff’s office has said it is cooperating with the state investigation. Stallman said the firing of Tippit was an administrative action and did not decide whether a crime occurred. Tippit had worked for the sheriff’s office before the shooting and was terminated June 9, eight days after Mendoza was killed.
The legal question now moves through two tracks. The first is the criminal investigation led by the Texas Rangers with the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office. The second is the grand jury process, which District Attorney Tom Selleck has said will review the evidence after investigators complete their work. A grand jury does not decide guilt or innocence. It decides whether there is enough evidence for a criminal case to move forward. Possible outcomes include charges, no charges or a request for more investigation. Officials have not announced a date for the grand jury review, and no timeline has been released for completion of forensic testing.
The shooting has left a sharp divide between the limited official record and the family’s demand for a fuller public account. Authorities have described the case through the affidavit, the custodial death report and brief public statements. Mendoza’s relatives have described an 18-year-old college student who had returned home for the summer and was killed at his family’s house. Community members have gathered at vigils and demonstrations, pressing for video release and criminal charges. Adams has said the family wants an investigation that explains not only why the pursuit began, but why a gun was drawn and fired once the car was inside the garage.
As of Friday, Tippit had not been charged, and the Texas Rangers’ investigation remained active. The next major step is the completion of the state investigation and presentation of the case to a Brazoria County grand jury.
Author note: Last updated Friday, July 3, 2026.