LAKE JACKSON, Texas — The family of John Gabriel Mendoza Jr. is demanding answers after the 18-year-old Texas State student was fatally shot by a Brazoria County deputy following a pursuit that ended at a Lake Jackson home.
The shooting happened early Monday after a Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a vehicle near FM 2004 and This Way Street, according to officials. Authorities said Mendoza did not stop and led deputies on a pursuit before arriving at a home in the 100 block of Indian Warrior Trail.
The pursuit ended when Mendoza pulled into an attached garage at the home, officials said. What happened next remains at the center of the investigation.
The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office has said the deputy encountered Mendoza and discharged his firearm, striking him. Mendoza was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Family members and their attorney are now raising questions about the shooting and the moments before deadly force was used.
Attorney Charles Adams, who is representing the family, told KPRC 2 that Mendoza had been at a park with friends before the attempted traffic stop. Adams said the young men felt they were being watched before leaving the park.
Adams also said it is his understanding that the people inside the vehicle had their hands raised and that Mendoza was shot while seated in the car. He has questioned why deadly force was used after what authorities described as a failure to stop.
Mendoza’s family described him as a young man with a bright future. He had recently finished his freshman year at Texas State University and had been home for summer break.
Family members said Mendoza had played football since childhood and came from a family with a law enforcement background. They are asking for transparency, accountability and a clear explanation of what happened.
The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office has not publicly released the deputy’s name or said what specific reason led to the attempted traffic stop.
The Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting. Findings from the investigation are expected to be presented to the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office.
The deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave, which the sheriff’s office described as standard procedure during an officer-involved shooting investigation.
The case has quickly drawn attention across Brazoria County and the Houston area as residents wait for more information, including body camera footage, dash camera footage, the deputy’s identity, the reason for the initial stop and a clearer timeline of events.
For Mendoza’s family, the central question remains simple: why did an encounter that began as a traffic stop end with an 18-year-old dead inside his father’s garage?
Gulf Coast Times has reached out to family attorney Charles Adams for a statement or additional comment on behalf of the family.
Gulf Coast Times has also requested information from the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, including any available public updates, the reason for the attempted traffic stop, the status of the investigation, and whether body camera or dash camera footage exists.
This story will be updated if additional information becomes available.
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