William Womack, a 30-year-old Black male, was fatally shot on a Maryland Transit Administration bus in downtown Baltimore on November 30, 2024. The incident, which occurred in the unit block of South Eutaw Street, stemmed from a seemingly minor altercation. Womack was a father to two young girls. Just hours before the shooting, he had been at his mother's house, leaving to buy shoes for his daughters.
The dispute began when Womack, while exiting the bus, bent down to pick up a dropped
bottle and bumped into another passenger, 61-year-old James Richburg. An argument ensued after Womack reportedly did not apologize. The verbal confrontation escalated, and after Womack re-entered the bus, Richburg shot him in the chest at near-point-blank range. Womack was unarmed at the time of the shooting. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Following the shooting, authorities released surveillance images of the suspect to the public. On December 9, 2024, James Richburg was arrested without incident while riding another MTA bus in the 1600 block of North Fulton Avenue. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder.
During his trial, Richburg claimed he acted in self-defense, testifying that he feared for his life and that Womack was acting erratically. However, prosecutors argued that the shooting was a violent reaction to a trivial matter. In August 2025, a Baltimore jury found James Richburg, then 62, guilty of second-degree murder and two firearm-related charges. His sentencing was scheduled for November of that year.
