Today, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office publicly thanked the Arlington Police Department after a case that prosecutors say started with drug-fueled paranoia and ended with bullets in a neighbor’s living room. The defendant, 55-year-old Mike Lopez, was convicted of deadly conduct with a firearm after what prosecutors describe as firing more than 16 rounds while high on methamphetamine. He received a 35-year prison sentence in June 2025. Prosecutors also credited Assistant District Attorneys Alex Rhee and John Kleinwachter, along with investigator Brian Johnson, for their work on the case.
In a post via Tarrant County DA, the office wrote, "Thanks to the Arlington Police Department for their work on this case and their commitment to keeping our community safe." The message accompanied a short rundown of the prosecution and fit neatly into the DA’s now-familiar pattern of publicly praising partner agencies when cases end in conviction. Tarrant County DA Office records show the office frequently posts similar updates after sentencings.
Prosecutors' account
According to prosecutors’ filings and the DA’s public summary, Lopez "admitted using meth for four days" in the lead-up to the shooting and was experiencing drug-induced paranoia when he opened fire. The office says he discharged more than 16 rounds into an occupied neighboring living room, conduct they charged and tried as deadly conduct with a firearm. Tarrant County DA highlighted those details in its social media post about the case.
Legal implications
Under Texas law, knowingly discharging a firearm at or toward a person or an occupied home can meet the elements of deadly conduct. The offense is defined in Texas Penal Code §22.05. Punishment for a third-degree felony typically ranges from two to 10 years in prison under Penal Code Chapter 12. Judges, however, can impose longer sentences when additional counts, sentence enhancements, or repeat-offender findings apply. The DA’s post did not specify whether enhancements or other convictions factored into Lopez’s 35-year term, and those details would appear in the formal court records rather than in a brief social media recap.
Local reaction
Both the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office and the Arlington Police Department routinely publicize their work, from major sentencings to everyday arrests. The DA’s message today sits alongside a series of similar shout-outs to law enforcement partners. The Arlington Police Department maintains an ongoing feed of investigations, arrests, and public safety notices that give residents a window into the department’s activity. As is standard practice, people with information about this case or comparable incidents are generally encouraged to contact APD directly or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
