BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — A Brazos County jury has sentenced 33-year-old Zachary Pfluger of San Angelo to 20 years in prison after finding that an aggravated assault he committed was motivated by bias and prejudice. The decision, reached on Oct. 29, followed Pfluger’s guilty plea last week to Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. The bias finding elevated the charge to a first-degree felony.
The Halloween night 2021 incident brought out the College Station Police Department, after receiving a chilling 911 call from a man who said he had been shot twice by Pfluger and believed he was dying. During the call, dispatchers heard a third gunshot and the victim’s cries of pain.
Responding officers forced entry into Pfluger’s apartment, finding the victim—who knew Pfluger through church—bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds in a guest bathroom. According to police, the victim reported that Pfluger called him racist and homophobic slurs before opening fire.
The situation escalated when officers attempted to contact Pfluger, who had retreated to his bedroom and led to a seven-hour standoff with police. Pfluger allegedly warned police that he would shoot them if they approached.
The department’s Hostage Negotiations Team and SWAT unit were called out and at one point during the seven-hour standoff, Pfluger opened his bedroom door and fired a shotgun toward officers before retreating again. He eventually surrendered to authorities.
A search of Pfluger’s phone uncovered hundreds of racist and homophobic messages exchanged with about 30 different individuals over a two-year span. Prosecutors said the texts included explicit support for killing African Americans and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
On the stand, Pfluger claimed he was in a psychotic state brought on by Adderall abuse and believed the victim was armed. He testified that his mental state also caused him to misidentify police officers and that he did not intentionally shoot at them.
Two forensic psychologists called by the defense said Pfluger’s Adderall abuse led to the offense and that he posed a low risk of reoffending. Pfluger had no prior criminal history.
Under Texas law, Pfluger must serve at least half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He still faces two pending charges of Aggravated Assault against a Public Servant, with trial dates yet to be determined.
"We thank the Brazos County jury for showing once again that hate has no place in our community,” Brazos County Assistance District Attorneys Ryan Golden and Jessica Escue said in a statement.
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