LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS – The Texas Rangers met with the family attorney and father of John Mendoza Jr. Friday, according to family attorney Charles Adams, to provide an update on the ongoing investigation into the young man’s death at the hands of a former Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Adams said in a statement posted on Facebook the meeting with the Rangers was cordial but left him deeply concerned about the direction of the investigation.
“The law enforcement focus is squarely on building a manslaughter/accidental discharge case against Deputy Tippit, and I continue to strongly disagree with that conclusion,” Adams said.
Rangers confirm video evidence exists
During the meeting, Adams said the Rangers confirmed the existence of both dash camera footage and body-worn camera footage capturing the encounter. While the Rangers did not share any video with John Mendoza Sr. during the meeting, they indicated that Brazoria County District Attorney Tom Selleck intends to make the video evidence available to the family next week.
Attorney Norman Giles, who represents Brazoria County on matters related to this case, said the county could not confirm information about the family being able to review the video.
Adams welcomed the development.
“I applaud this decision and I am thankful DA Selleck has decided to be transparent with the family,” Adams said. “I am hopeful that full transparency with the community will follow.”
What investigators say happened
According to Adams, two officers from the Richwood Police Department — not Deputy Tippit — were the ones at the park where Mendoza Jr. and other young men had been hanging out that evening.
Video and officer accounts from the park confirmed the young men were not engaged in any illegal activity and were not approached by law enforcement, Adams said, but chose to leave shortly after the officers arrived.
Deputy Tippit engaged the vehicle after the group had left the park. Adams said it appears the young men mistook Tippit for one of the Richwood officers they had seen at the park.
Adams said the Rangers told him that Tippit initially caught up with the vehicle before Mendoza Jr. allegedly sped off at speeds higher than those indicated in recorded dispatch audio — which referenced speeds of 60 mph and 34 mph, according to Adams — and in footage from neighboring homes that appeared to show the vehicle moving slowly.
The Rangers were unclear about what initially justified the traffic stop, suggesting Mendoza Jr. may have accelerated quickly from an intersection and that he fled before the officer made full contact.
The sheriff’s office has not answered any questions about what led to the traffic stop.
The shooting
According to what Adams says the Rangers shared, Deputy Tippit ran up to the vehicle alone with his firearm drawn immediately after the pursuit ended. They confirmed the weapon was a Glock semiautomatic pistol. Tippit allegedly raised the gun as he approached and fired a single shot through the window glass, killing Mendoza Jr.
Adams said the Rangers explained that Tippit issued no commands or directives before firing and offered no observable justification for the use of deadly force. They also said Tippit claims not to recall firing his weapon.
Adams pushed back strongly on the Rangers’ framing of the incident.
“The Rangers used the term ‘sympathetic movement’ and suggested they have seen no evidence to support a murder charge,” Adams said. “Despite repeatedly denying they have taken a formal charging position, they are clearly framing this as an accidental death and posturing it as manslaughter. I do not understand this legal reasoning.”
Adams argued the facts, as he says the Rangers described, point to a more serious charge.
“The deputy is allegedly on video raising his gun, pointing it at John Jr., and then shooting and killing him without verbal commands or warnings,” Adams said. “Anyone else shooting someone in the back or shoulder without provocation on video would already be charged with murder, with no effort made to minimize the charge. This is a protection afforded only to law enforcement by other law enforcement in America.”
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Firearms training under scrutiny
According to Adams, the Rangers said they obtained the “Red Dot” training manuals from a firearms course Tippit attended in the weeks before the shooting. He said they told him there was nothing in the manual indicating officers were taught to place their finger on the trigger when approaching a vehicle in a low-ready position, but acknowledged it may have been a verbal instruction from the trainer.
Adams noted the Rangers agreed that, if such instruction had been given, it would contradict all firearms safety training they had encountered throughout their careers.
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Adams calls for murder charge
Adams said the totality of the evidence, as described by the Rangers, points to an unlawful killing.
“It appears that Deputy Tippit summarily executed John Jr. seconds after exiting his vehicle with an illegal and wholly unjustified use of deadly force,” Adams said, “and that all efforts by the State and County are being made to minimize both his and the county’s criminal and civil exposure rather than holding everyone fully accountable.”
Adams said he remains hopeful DA Selleck will pursue a murder charge against Tippit.
“You cannot run up to someone and shoot him or her in the back killing the person in Texas without very specific legal justifications,” Adams said. “The Rangers made it clear that is what occurred and there was no justification for it. When someone does that in the Great State, it is murder.”
KPRC 2 News emailed Texas DPS for any updates on the investigation or a response to Adams’ account of the meeting, but so far no response has been received.
DA Selleck has said once the Rangers complete the investigation, any findings would be presented to a grand jury for review, but no timeline has been provided.