An Augusta man charged with the attempted murder of two New Orleans police officers over Halloween weekend remains in jail in the Big Easy on $1.5 million bond, according to Orleans Parish Magistrate Court documents.
Donnell Linwood Hassell, 44, of Augusta, is accused of firing a handgun into a police vehicle in what was described as an unprovoked ambush attack.
Officer Trevor Abney was shot in the face, and his partner Brooke Duncan sustained injuries from flying glass shards in the attack. Police say Hassell fled the scene but was apprehended minutes later at a construction site in the French Quarter.
Abney and Duncan are recovering from their wounds, but Abney will likely have permanent damage to his left eye, according to press reports.
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Hassell has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of discharging a weapon in the commission of a crime, according to his Orleans Parish booking report. If convicted, he faces up to 50 years in prison.
Little is known about Hassell except that he is a 20-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and is a member of the DA MOB M.C. motorcycle club that is part of the Augusta Motorcycle Alliance. Hassell does not have a criminal history.
Shortly after being apprehended, Hassell was taken to the hospital for what was described as “a non-physical medical emergency.”
Police do not have a motive in the shooting and consider it a random attack aimed at the police.
Hassell remains in custody after apparently failing to secure his $1.5 million bond.
Scott Hudson is the Managing Editor of The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
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