Baltimore Man found guilty of fatally shooting MTA bus passenger in 2024
A Baltimore man has been convicted of fatally shooting a passenger on an MTA bus in Downtown Baltimore last year.
James Richburg, 62, was found guilty of first-degree murder and related charges in the death of 30-year-old William Womack, who was shot on Dec. 1, 2024.
Police said they responded to the scene on South Eutaw Street in the middle of the afternoon, where they found Womack suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital and later died.
Investigators released an image of the suspect, later identified as Richburg, and reviewed surveillance footage from the bus, CityWatch cameras and nearby businesses showing where Richburg boarded, and where he went after the shooting.
Richburg was arrested on Dec. 9 in connection to the shooting.
How did the shooting unfold?
Police determined that Richburg and Womack did not know each other. According to investigators, the two argued as Womack was leaving the bus after bumping into Richburg and refusing to apologize.
"We are saddened any time an act of violence occurs on our system. We express our condolences to the victim and their family," MTA administrator Holly Arnold said in a statement after the shooting.
Violent crime trends in Baltimore
Baltimore City leaders have been touting a reduction in violent crime, with a sharp reduction in homicides and shootings compared to 2024 and 2023.
As of Friday, Aug. 1, overall homicides were down 24.3%, and non-fatal shootings are down 19.5%, according to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
Scott said last Thursday that gun violence is not only a police matter but also a public health issue.
The city has also seen a reduction in juvenile crime. Baltimore police said the number of juveniles killed in the first half of 2025 is the lowest in over a decade.
