Man Convicted of Killing Fellow Bus Passenger Because Victim Allegedly Bumped into Him and Didn't Apologize By Toria Sheffield

A Maryland man has been convicted on several charges after he shot a fellow bus passenger who allegedly bumped into him and then refused to apologize.

James Richburg, 62, was found guilty on three counts — second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a crime of violence and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person — on Friday, Aug. 8, according to a press release from the Maryland State Attorney’s Office. 

Richburg shot and killed William Womack, 30, in Baltimore on Nov. 30, 2024, “following a dispute” on a Maryland Transit Administration bus, according to authorities, per Law & Crime. 

Court documents obtained by WBFF reportedly state that Richburg and Womack were riding the same bus when Womack bumped into Richburg without apologizing while exiting at the rear of the vehicle.

The men began arguing, and Womack then got back on the bus as the argument continued — at which point Richburg took out a firearm and shot the other man.

Womback was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, CBS affiliate WJZ reported. Richburg fled the scene before authorities arrived, but he was later arrested on a bus without incident on Dec. 9, 2024, according to the outlet.

“Our family got justice,” Tamika Johnson, Womack’s mother, said in a statement to WBALTV 11 regarding the conviction. “It has been long-anticipated. I’ve been going through up-and-down emotions. This is closure.”

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“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 office’s press release. 

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.”

Richburg’s sentencing is scheduled for November, per WMAR.