By Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose
John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. Investigation
The John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. investigation continues to raise new questions after newly released Texas Attorney General state reports provided additional details about the fatal June 1 shooting in Lake Jackson. The documents describe the same incident but use different wording in several key sections.
The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office submitted both a Custodial Death Report and a Peace Officer Involved Injuries or Death Report to the Texas Attorney General. While the Texas Rangers continue investigating the John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. case, the newly released records highlight differences in how the incident was documented.
Both reports describe the same incident. However, they use different wording in several sections while the Texas Rangers continue their investigation.
John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. Investigation: Reports Describe the Same Incident
Both reports identify Mendoza as the 18-year-old who died after a deputy attempted a traffic stop that ended at a residence on Indian Warrior Trail in Lake Jackson.
According to the records, Mendoza drove into a garage attached to a home after deputies attempted to stop him.
The reports state the deputy was on duty and involved in a pursuit after Mendoza allegedly failed to stop.
Custodial Death Report Lists Homicide
The Custodial Death Report lists the manner of death as:
Homicide (includes Justifiable Homicide).
Medical examiners use that classification when one person causes another person’s death. The classification does not determine whether a crime occurred or whether criminal charges are appropriate.
The report lists the medical cause of death as a gunshot wound that entered through the left upper extremity into the torso.
It also identifies the weapon as a handgun.
Incident Summary Uses the Word “Discharged”
One section of the Custodial Death Report states:
“When entering the garage approaching the driver, the deputy’s firearm discharged and a bullet struck the driver.”
The report does not explain why the firearm discharged or whether investigators have determined if the discharge was intentional, accidental, or the result of another circumstance.
Reports Use Different Language About a Weapon
One section of the Custodial Death Report asks whether Mendoza displayed or used a weapon during the incident.
The answer listed is:
Unknown.
However, the separate Peace Officer Involved Injuries or Death Report includes a different description.
That report states the injured or deceased person:
“Carried, exhibited, or used a deadly weapon.”
Neither report explains the apparent difference in wording or identifies the weapon referenced in that section.
The records also do not describe when investigators reached those conclusions or whether additional evidence remains under review.
Deputy Was Not Responding to a Call
The Peace Officer Involved Injuries or Death Report states the deputy was not responding to a call for service when the incident began.
Instead, the report states the encounter occurred during a pursuit involving a suspect who was allegedly evading arrest or detention using a motor vehicle.
The report identifies the deputy as a 29-year-old male who was on duty at the time of the shooting.
Investigation Continues
The Custodial Death Report states emergency personnel treated Mendoza before transporting him to a local hospital, where he later died.
The report also confirms that the Texas Rangers, working with the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office, continue investigating the shooting.
Neither report reaches a conclusion about criminal responsibility or explains what caused the deputy’s firearm to discharge.
As the investigation moves forward, the newly released state records answer some questions while raising others about the events inside the garage on June 1.
Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose contacted the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office for comment regarding the newly released state records. No response had been received at the time of publication.
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