Houston Man Convicted of Possessing Machine Gun in Katy McDonald's Shooting

A federal jury convicted Tyler John Jordan, 27, of illegally possessing a machine gun connected to the March 2025 shooting inside a Katy McDonald's that killed 61-year-old Jorge Arbaiza, a grandfather who had stopped at the restaurant to buy Happy Meals for his grandchildren.

The jury deliberated approximately three hours before returning the guilty verdict on March 26, following a three-day trial in federal court in Houston. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the proceedings and scheduled Jordan's sentencing for June 25, when Jordan faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. He remains in custody.

The case stems from a March 16, 2025 confrontation at the McDonald's on North Fry Road near West Little York in Katy, where two groups clashed inside the crowded restaurant. Federal prosecutors said Jordan and others entered the restaurant intending to start a fight with another group. During the altercation, multiple rounds were fired into the lobby from a Glock pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a "switch." One of those bullets struck and killed Arbaiza, who was not part of the dispute.

The evidence against Jordan was anchored by a video recovered from his own phone, showing him holding the weapon roughly five hours before the shooting. Jurors also heard that Jordan, a self-described gun enthusiast, had previously admitted to possessing the firearm and knowing it was a machine gun. A crime scene investigator and other law enforcement officers testified that Jordan attempted to lie multiple times throughout the course of the investigation.

The defense argued Jordan was unaware the Glock had been fitted with a switch and contended his confession was false. The jury rejected both claims.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office and the FBI led the investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anh-Khoa Tran and Charles Hagerman prosecuted the federal case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, acting under U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.

Jordan's federal conviction covers the weapon possession charge; the Harris County Sheriff's Office separately filed state charges against others connected to the incident, including alleged shooter Antoine Leandre Ridge and Paul Whitley, according to court records. Jordan's sentencing before Judge Bennett is set for June 25.