John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. had just finished his first year at Texas State University. He was 18. He was home for the summer. He was on the dean's list. He played football.

On June 1, 2026, he and three friends left a park in Lake Jackson. They had been working out. A Brazoria County sheriff's deputy tried to pull him over near FM 2004. John drove home instead. His house was about two miles away.

The deputy followed him.

John made it to his garage. The deputy fired a shot. John was still in his car. His family says he was not armed.

He did not survive.

👨 WHO JOHN WAS

John's dad called him "my heart."

"He was just such a great young man," said his father, John Mendoza Sr.

John was a dean's list student. A football player. A son and nephew who people in his community loved.

He had just come home for summer break.

🚔 THE DEPUTY WAS FIRED

On Tuesday, June 9, Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman posted on social media that Deputy Kevin Tippett had been fired.

The sheriff said the firing is a separate decision from the criminal investigation.

⚖️ WHERE THE CASE STANDS

The Texas Rangers and the Brazoria County District Attorney's Office are leading the investigation.

The DA's office said the case will go before a grand jury. A grand jury is a group of regular citizens who decide if there is enough evidence to bring criminal charges against someone.

The DA said in a statement: "A thorough and comprehensive investigation is being conducted and this matter will be presented, in its entirety, to the grand jury for their review and action."

Forensics testing may take several more months.

Nobody has been charged yet.

📣 THE FAMILY WANTS MORE

John's family says fired is not enough. They want the DA to ask the grand jury for a murder charge.

They also want the federal Department of Justice to open its own investigation.

"They took the life of a young man, just reckless and senseless acts of abuse of power, and for nothing, for nothing," said his father. "My son can't tell his story, so we have to tell it for him."

His aunt Glenda was direct: "My nephew was murdered in cold blood. That's exactly what that was."

Dozens of people marched and chanted for John in Lake Jackson on June 6.

One question still has no answer: why did the deputy try to pull John over in the first place?