City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: Public Information Office 512-974-5017 Email
Case: 21-1151130
Date: Sunday, April 25, 2021
Time: 5:23 p.m.
Location: 1717 S. Pleasant Valley Rd.
Arrested: Zion Baptiste, Black male, 20 years of age
The Austin Police Department (APD) has made an arrest in an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against two Austin Police Officers. On Sunday, April 25, 2021, at approximately 5:23 p.m., two uniformed Austin Police Department Officers were flagged down regarding an unrelated disturbance on a Capital Metro bus at 1717 S. Pleasant Valley Rd. While the two uniformed officers were detaining the unrelated suspect with their backs to the parking lot, an un-involved individual in a two door black coupe pulled up to the shopping center’s exit at 1717 S. Pleasant Valley Rd. and stopped. Witnesses reported the driver of the coupe aimed a black semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine at the uniformed officers and began moving his arm up and down; simulating the recoil of a firearm being shot. The coupe fled the scene and witnesses notified the officers of what occurred. This incident was captured on multiple sources of video.
Through investigative methods, the suspect was identified as Zion Baptiste. On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, members of the U.S. Marshall’s Lone Star Fugitive Task Force apprehended Baptiste in his vehicle with a black semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine containing live ammunition in the 1100 block of S. Pleasant Valley Road. Baptiste was charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Police Officer, 1st Degree Felonies, and the total bond was set to $40,000.
Investigators believe there are additional witnesses to the incident who have not yet been identified. Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to call APD Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-4463, e-mail Detective Joshua Muchnikoff at Joshua.muchnikoff@austintexas.gov, utilize the Crime Stoppers tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), or the Crime Stoppers app.
You may remain anonymous.
You can also submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, free on iPhone and Android.
Booking photo of Zion Baptiste: