Guy Womack, the attorney representing former Brazoria County Deputy Kevin Tippit, addressed the media on Thursday regarding Tippit’s indictment for the shooting death of John Mendoza Jr., which took place in July. Records indicate that Tippit faces a charge of aggravated assault by a peace officer using a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony that implies a reckless mental state. Tippit was arrested by the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, with his bond set at $250,000.
During the interview, Womack detailed Tippit’s recollection of the events leading up to the shooting. He stated, “He remembers everything that’s shown on the video, seeing the car fishtail, following the car, then having to chase the car. He remembers running to the garage to intercept the driver before he entered the house and potentially caused harm. However, he does not recall the sound of the gun firing or the recoil, which is not uncommon in high-stress situations where adrenaline is flowing.”
Womack was also asked to clarify the circumstances surrounding the discharge of the firearm. “We don’t know exactly what happened. Logically, one might think he must have had his hand on the trigger, and in the excitement, it went off. However, we haven’t received the weapon’s examination results from the Texas Rangers yet, and we will investigate whether there was any malfunction with the firearm,” he explained.
The incident itself began shortly after midnight on June 1 when Deputy Tippit attempted to pull over Mendoza, who was reportedly driving a car with other teenagers inside. When Mendoza failed to stop, he eventually drove into his garage on Indian Warrior Trail. Following an encounter, Tippit discharged his weapon, leading to Mendoza’s death at the hospital.
Dispatch audio from the night of the incident included mentions of an “accidental discharge.” An affidavit released in July provided further details, indicating that around 12:50 a.m. on June 1, authorities learned of the officer-involved shooting. The affidavit detailed that Tippit had been parked on Oyster Creek Drive when he observed a red Dodge Challenger behaving erratically before pursuing it.
The affidavit noted that Tippit activated his emergency lights and siren as the Dodge Challenger accelerated beyond the 50 mph speed limit, ultimately reaching speeds of 120 mph and disregarding multiple traffic signals before arriving at Indian Warrior Trail. As the Challenger entered the driveway, the garage door opened, and the vehicle pulled inside, prompting Tippit to follow.
Body-worn camera footage indicated that Tippit approached the driver’s side of the Challenger and discharged his weapon through the window, resulting in Mendoza being struck. Tippit subsequently informed dispatch that he had experienced an accidental discharge and that there was a male with a gunshot wound.
In the affidavit, it was noted that Tippit referred to his firearm going off when he reported the incident as an accidental discharge, and a search warrant was subsequently requested to assess the firearm’s functionality.
