Overview
- A deputy shot 18-year-old John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. after a short chase that ended inside his family’s garage on June 1 when the officer approached the car and fired through the driver’s window.
- The sheriff fired Kevin Tippit on June 9 for policy violations over his firearm handling, and a Brazoria County grand jury indicted him on Aug. 6 for aggravated assault by a public servant.
- Texas Rangers arrested Tippit Tuesday, he was booked and released on a $250,000 bond, and prosecutors say the charge is a first-degree felony that can be proven using recklessness.
- Investigators seized Tippit’s Glock and recovered a spent 9mm casing from the garage; forensic testing of the weapon and review of body and dash camera footage are ongoing and central to the case.
- Tippit’s lawyer says he did not realize the gun fired and calls it an accidental discharge, while Mendoza’s family and their attorney say Mendoza was unarmed and demand full transparency as officials complete testing and discovery.