Police arrest suspect in shooting of fed agent

A man suspected of shooting an off duty federal agent early Tuesday morning was arrested by that evening, according to police.

About 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, police announced that 61-year-old Dennis Bagwell of Piedmont had been arrested and charged with trying to murder an off-duty agent outside his Newark home that morning.

At 5:53 a.m. police received a report of five shots heard in the area of Bettencourt Street and Mayhews Landing Road.

“I heard someone say ‘get down on the ground!’ And then after that I heard multiple gunshots,” said a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous.

The suspect, described as a tall man with a pronounced limp, was seen getting into a white sedan and driving away after the shooting, police said.

Police responded to the neighborhood, where they found the federal agent suffering from at least one gunshot wound near his home where he lived with his wife and stepdaughter.

He was transported to Eden Medical Center for treatment and his family asked that his condition not be released.

The victim was later identified as a 61-year-old customs and border protection officer who has been with the department for just under five years. Most recently, he was working at the San Francisco International Airport, where he inspected luggage, cargo and processed passengers from out of the country.

Police said that Bagwell, with no criminal history, was arrested during a traffic stop in Union City later that day.

Police weren't saying if the agent was targeted or if he used his work-issued weapon to fire back.

“I cannot go into motive,” said Newark Police Cmdr. Bob Douglas.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Detective Sgt. Mike Carroll at (510) 578-4247, or the anonymous "silent witness" hotline at (510) 578-4000 ext. 500.