Gunshot victim crashes car, dies in Trenton’s 23rd homicide of 2017
Trenton Police investigate a homicide involving a gunshot victim who crashed on the 300 block of Mulberry Street on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. (SULAIMAN ABDUR-RAHMAN - The Trentonian)
A gunshot victim crashed his vehicle in the North Ward and died from his injuries Thursday night, marking the city’s latest homicide.
Police received a call for a motor vehicle accident on the 300 block of Mulberry Street about 6 p.m. Thursday. When officers arrived on scene, they located a male in the vehicle who had struck a pole and another vehicle, according to Trenton Police Lt. Stephen Varn.
The victim was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about 6:35 p.m. Thursday. Police at the time treated the incident as a conventional motor vehicle accident but then summoned the Mercer County Homicide Task Force upon learning that the male victim behind the wheel of the crashed vehicle had been shot, according to Varn.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation,” he said about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. “It is currently being investigated as a homicide.”
With less than two weeks left, so far this year, 23 people have been killed in Trenton, which includes two hit-and-run vehicular homicides.
Varn on Thursday night did not release a name or age for the latest homicide victim. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday identified the victim as Brian Ficzko, 40, of Flemington.
Brian Ficzko
Ficzko suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. It was not immediately clear whether the victim was shot while driving or if the victim was shot prior to getting in the vehicle and attempted to drive it while wounded.
Trenton Police investigate a homicide involving a gunshot victim who crashed on the 300 block of Mulberry Street on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. (SULAIMAN ABDUR-RAHMAN - The Trentonian)
Police have not announced any arrests or suspect descriptions in the Thursday night slaying. Cops used patrol cars to block off the 300 block of Mulberry Street from vehicular traffic throughout the evening.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call (609) 989-6406. Or use the Trenton Police Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.
This story was updated to identify the murder victim as Brian Ficzko.
