City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: APD Public Information Office 512-974-5017 Email
Case: 22-0030455
Time: 10:50 a.m.
Date: Monday, January 3, 2022
Location: Nyle Maxwell Supercenter, 13401 N. FM 620
At approximately 10:51 a.m., on January 3, 2022, a black Dodge Charger pulled up to the service center at the Nyle Maxwell Supercenter at 13401 N. FM 620. The Charger pulled up to the garage bay and waited on the pressure sensor to open the garage door. The garage was malfunctioning that day and did not respond to the sensor. The driver of the Charger then drove forward, striking the garage door. He repeated this multiple times, and then parked the vehicle after being unable to force open the garage door.
The driver exited the Charger holding an AK-47 pistol, commonly referred to as a “Draco”. As the driver exited the vehicle with the AK-47, employees and customers began to flee and hide from the driver believing him a potential active shooter. After a few minutes of walking around the business while being described as looking for someone, the driver left the scene in the Charger.
The Austin Police Department (APD) Aggravated Assault Unit investigation identified the driver as Kenneth Ray Paynes. He remains at large and is wanted for three felony warrants including: Terroristic Threat, Evading Motor Vehicle, and Criminal Mischief.
A search warrant was executed on Paynes’ residence in Travis County on January 12, 2022, and the AK-47 pistol loaded with a forty round magazine was recovered in the Dodge Charger along with three semi-automatic pistols and two AR-15 rifles during the warrant.
The Austin Police Department would like to acknowledge assistance of the following organizations helping to combat gun crime in the City of Austin and specifically with this investigation:
- APD Adam Sector Patrol
- APD Aggravated Assault Unit
- Austin Regional Intelligence Center
- APD Violent Crimes Task Force
- APD Tactical Intelligence Unit
Anyone with information about this incident such as customers who fled, or other violent crime is asked to call the APD Aggravated Assault Unit at (512) 974-4463, Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or use the new Crime Stoppers App. You can also submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android. Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.