A Maryland man has been convicted on multiple charges for fatally shooting a fellow bus passenger after a dispute over an alleged bump and lack of apology.
James Richburg, 62, was found guilty on Friday, Aug. 8, of second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to a press release from the Maryland State Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said Richburg shot and killed William Womack, 30, in Baltimore on Nov. 30, 2024, “following a dispute” on a Maryland Transit Administration bus, per Law & Crime.
Court records obtained by WBFF indicate the two men were riding the same bus when Womack bumped into Richburg without apologizing while exiting from the rear. The argument escalated when Womack reentered the bus, at which point Richburg pulled out a gun and shot him.
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Womack was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, WJZ reported. Richburg fled but was arrested on another bus without incident on Dec. 9, 2024.
“Our family got justice,” Womack’s mother, Tamika Johnson, told WBALTV 11. “It has been long-anticipated. I’ve been going through up-and-down emotions. This is closure.”
“This egregious act of violence is despicable and completely unacceptable and stands as a stark reminder that we must reject any form of brutality in Baltimore,” State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in the press release. He added that carrying an illegal firearm is “an incredibly dangerous offense” that often leads to deadly consequences, as in this case.
Richburg is scheduled to be sentenced in November, per WMAR.
