NYPD Officer Charged in Vigilante Shooting Incident
An NYPD officer has been charged with attempted murder and kidnapping following an off-duty shooting that left a victim on a ventilator. The incident, which took place on March 16, was captured on video.
Jonathan Baez, a 44-year-old military veteran, pursued two individuals he suspected of stealing a car. In the process, he pinned one of them to the ground at gunpoint and shot the other in the head as he attempted to escape, inflicting severe injuries, according to prosecutors.
“He is an NYPD officer sworn to protect and serve the public,” said Bronx Assistant District Attorney John Veiga at the arraignment. “It’s with heavy hearts that he faces charges. On March 14, he transitioned from being a crime victim to a vigilante.”
Prosecutors revealed that Baez was incensed by the theft of his 2024 Honda CRV from his Riverdale apartment, leading him to search the NYPD’s database over 200 times for a white Hyundai Genesis seen in surveillance footage next to his car.
Two days later, Baez spotted the Hyundai and pursued it along the Cross Bronx Expressway and Major Deegan, eventually cornering it near West 230th Street around 9 p.m.
Surveillance footage shows Baez exiting his vehicle with his gun drawn, ordering the driver out, and pressing the gun against his back, according to Veiga. Baez then instructed the driver to call 911 and report he was being held at gunpoint. The driver complied, stating, “I’m being held at gunpoint and I don’t know why.”
Veiga noted that Baez told the man on the ground, “I’m not a police officer.” Meanwhile, a backseat passenger jumped into the driver’s seat and started to drive away. In response, Baez fired two shots, hitting a 30-year-old passenger in the head, who had no involvement in the car theft, as confirmed by Veiga.
“Unfortunately, the individual who was shot is the one lying on a ventilator right now,” he added.
The court set Baez’s bail at either $250,000 cash or $750,000. He faces several charges, including attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, and official misconduct, and he has pleaded not guilty.
Baez’s attorney, Mark Bedelow, highlighted his client’s clean disciplinary record since joining the NYPD in 2014, mentioning that Baez is aware of the gravity of the charges. He is currently on paid suspension.
In court, Bedelow requested that the judge release Baez without bail or at a lower amount, asserting that his client is not a flight risk. Judge Lawrence Bushing ultimately set the bail at $100,000 cash or $250,000 bond.
Bronx DA Darcel Clark emphasized in a statement, “Police officers are sworn to serve and protect the public and are expected to act with integrity even when off-duty.”
