James Richburg has been convicted on several charges after fatally shooting William Womack, a fellow bus passenger who allegedly bumped into him and refused to apologize.
According to Law & Crime, Richburg killed Womack, 30, in Baltimore in November 2024 “following a dispute” aboard a Maryland Transit Administration bus.
According to court documents that WBFF was able to acquire, Womack and Richburg were on the same bus when Womack bumped into Richburg without saying sorry while getting off the bus.
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The two began quarreling and Womack got back on the bus while the argument continued—at which point Richburg pulled out a weapon and shot him.
Womack was transferred to a local hospital and died, according to WJZ. Richburg escaped the scene before police came, but he was arrested on a bus on December 9, 2024, without incident, according to the publication.
In a news release issued by the Maryland State Attorney’s Office, 62-year-old Richburg from Maryland was found guilty on August 8 on three counts — second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a crime of violence and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The defense claimed that Richburg acted in self-defense after Womack bumped into him, although Womack was unarmed.
“Mr. Womack, he has committed a battery under the laws of the state of Maryland,” the defense said, according to WBAL. “Mr. Womack continues to harangue and harass Mr. Richburg. Mr. Richburg’s fight or flight instinct was already heightened because he was on the bus.”
Prosecutors told jurors that Richburg shot the gun into Womack’s chest “from near-point-blank range” after the surveillance video from inside the bus showed Womack appearing to accidentally bump into Richburg while bending down to pick up a bottle he had dropped.
Before the shooting, Richburg was even heard telling Womack, “I’m not going to let you live,” per the report. The defense said that the statement was just Richburg “trying to warn Mr. Womack off” because the victim was “continuing to threaten and harangue” him.
State’s Attorney Ivan Bates condemned the act in the office’s press release, writing, “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.”
He added, “Since day one of my administration, I have been adamant that carrying an illegal firearm is an incredibly dangerous offense that I take very seriously because it leads to deadly outcomes like what we saw in this case.”
Tamika Johnson, Womack’s mother, said in a statement to WBALTV 11 regarding the conviction, “Our family got justice. It has been long-anticipated. I’ve been going through up-and-down emotions. This is closure.”
According to WMAR, Richburg will be sentenced in November.
As reported by WMAR, Richburg had already been convicted of robbery in 1996. WBFF also revealed that Richburg was convicted of felony possession of a pistol in 2019 and received a five-year jail sentence.
