Bridgeton man charged with murder in fatal shooting on Nichols Street
BRIDGETON, NJ – A Bridgeton man has been charged with murder following a fatal shooting last month that left a 42-year-old man dead on Nichols Street. Two other individuals face charges for allegedly assisting in the suspect’s attempted escape and misleading investigators.
Prosecutors say Charles B. Clark, 39, of Mayslanding Road in Millville, fatally shot Jamil Wright, 42, of Bridgeton, during a confrontation on November 5. Officers were called to the 39 block of Nichols Street around 8:51 p.m. for reports of gunfire. Wright was transported by EMS, but died from his injuries shortly after.
Clark was arrested on December 10 and faces the following charges:
- Murder (purposeful and knowing)
- Unlawful possession of a handgun
- Possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose
- Possession of a weapon by certain persons not to have weapons
- Hindering apprehension
He is being held pending pretrial detention.
Investigators say two other men — Markese K. Childers, 42, and Michael A. Thomas, 39 — tried to help Clark evade arrest. Childers is accused of driving Clark away from the scene. He was arrested on November 23 and charged with third-degree hindering apprehension. A judge denied a motion to detain him pretrial.
Thomas was charged with obstruction and hindering apprehension after allegedly providing a false statement to authorities, claiming he did not know Clark, despite having driven him to the scene. He was arrested on November 26, and a motion to detain him was also denied.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Bridgeton Police Department. Officials are continuing to seek information and tips related to the case.
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Key Points
- Charles Clark, 39, charged with murder in November shooting of Jamil Wright
- Two other men face charges for allegedly aiding the suspect after the killing
- Clark remains in custody after arrest on December 10