The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified 21-year-old Zion Cook as the man whose body authorities found floating in the San Antonio River downtown earlier this week, KSAT reports.
Cook’s body was recovered Monday along the 100 block of Villita Street, near the Lock Bridge and not far from Main Plaza. Although the corpse showed no signs of trauma, it was unclear how long it had been in the water.
The cause and manner of death remain pending, according to KSAT’s report.
Cook was a Blackbird Golf and Cameron Champ Foundation scholarship recipient and worked at a San Antonio Panda Express restaurant.
“Zion was one of our scholarship recipients, and more importantly, he was a young man full of promise,” Blackbird Golf wrote in a Wednesday Facebook post. “His quiet determination, kindness and desire to grow reflected everything our organizations stand for. He embodied the very spirit of why we do this work — to support, uplift and believe in young people who just need the opportunity to shine.”
Meanwhile, Panda Express launched a GoFundMe for Cook’s family.
“Zion was not only a dedicated team member but also a bright spirit who brought warmth to our PX 605 team and inspired those around him,” the Go Fund Me said.
As of press time, the fundraising effort has so far brought in nearly $400.
This is a developing story.
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This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 9, 2025.