Defendant Pleads Guilty to 2020 Non-Fatal Shooting Following Stop the Violence Walk

By Baltimore Witness Staff - September 8, 2022
Court | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting |

A Baltimore man accepted a plea agreement on Sept. 8 in connection with a non-fatal shooting which occurred following a Stop the Violence walk in 2020 on the 3200 block of Massachusetts Ave.

The prosecution offered the plea to defendant James Bangura and his attorney Martin Cohen before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Gregory Sampson.

Bangura, 40, accepted a plea of 25 years in prison, suspending all but five years, and three years of probation for first-degree assault; and a concurrent sentence of 20 years in prison suspending all but five years, and three years’ probation for the use of a firearm.

According to police documents, on Feb.17, 2020, the victim and Bangura attended the Stop the Violence walk in the Walbook Junction area. After the event around 9:47 pm, according to the police report Bangura seemed noticeably agitated and proceeded to shoot the victim in his arms. The victim manages to escape to a nearby Marathon Gas station as he waits for the police to arrive at the scene.

The victim chose to give an impact statement at the hearing. The victim and the defendant were friends since childhood and had a close relationship as friends.