Trenton Resident Faces Charged of Attempted Homicide, Robbery, and Assault in Hamilton Township

September 7, 2023

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ – In a recent incident, Hamilton Police were alerted to shots fired on Friday, August 18, 2023, at approximately 9:02 p.m. Responding promptly, officers arrived at the 600 block of East Franklin Street, where they discovered a victim who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Identified as a 43-year-old male from Hamilton, the victim was swiftly transported to Capital Health Fuld for medical attention. Fortunately, the injuries were deemed non-life-threatening, and the victim was subsequently treated and released. As the investigation unfolded, Hamilton Police managed to obtain surveillance footage of the incident, which depicted the suspect ambushing the victim, repeatedly shooting him, and subsequently robbing him of his money and cell phone. The suspect, described as a black male dressed in all black, fled the crime scene towards South Olden Avenue, with his last known direction being towards Trenton. Exploiting video surveillance, officers were able to positively identify the suspect as Michael Bagwell, a 31-year-old resident of Trenton. Consequently, a warrant was issued for Bagwell’s arrest and he was apprehended by Hamilton Police Detectives and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit in Trenton on Wednesday, September 6th.

Upon his arrest, Michael Bagwell was charged with a series of severe offenses, including attempted homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and possession of a high-capacity magazine. Following his arrest, Bagwell was transported to the Mercer County Correctional Facility, where he will be held pending a detention hearing. Expressing their gratitude, the Hamilton Police extended their thanks to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Trenton Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression Unit for their invaluable assistance throughout the investigative process.

Individuals possessing any information related to this incident are strongly urged to contact Detective James Rickey of the Hamilton Police Division Major Crimes Unit at (609) 689-5822 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at (609) 581-4008.

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Michael Bagwell, 31, of Trenton, has been identified as the suspect responsible for this heinous crime. As previously mentioned, Bagwell faces charges of attempted homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and possession of a high-capacity magazine. It is important to reiterate that Bagwell is presently in custody at the Mercer County Correctional Facility. The precise duration of his detention will be determined following a scheduled hearing.