Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge LaZette C. Ringgold-Kirksey presided over jury selection on April 7 in the attempted murder trial of 41-year-old Eddie Murphy.
Murphy faces a 22-count indictment for allegedly shooting a restaurant owner multiple times during a violent New Year’s Day robbery at American Wings & Pizza in Baltimore’s Old Goucher neighborhood.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:14 p.m., on the 2400 block of St. Paul Street. According to court documents, two men entered the kitchen through a side door and demanded belongings from the staff at gunpoint. When the restaurant owner attempted to wrestle the firearm away from the primary suspect, he was shot twice in the head and once in the left arm.
Responding officers discovered a trail of blood leading from the side entrance to the food preparation station, where detectives recovered four spent .22-caliber cartridges. Three other employees, who spoke primarily French and Urdu, survived the encounter without physical injuries. Despite his wounds, the owner was able to drive himself to Medstar Union Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment.
Investigators caught a break on April 9, 2025, after receiving a tip that a suspect nicknamed “E” was the gunman. Using a departmental database, detectives compiled a photographic array, and a witness positively identified a person said to be Murphy as the shooter.
Charges against Murphy include attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery, and firearm possession. In addition to the American Wings & Pizza shooting, Murphy has been linked to three other non-fatal shootings in early 2025 involving victims on Darley Avenue, N. Washington Street, and N. Fulton Avenue.
Murphy’s trial, 45-year-old co-defendant, Christopher Brigerman, was also arrested in connection to the New Year’s shooting. Witnesses described the second suspect as a white male wearing a blue jacket and a black ski mask.
Proceedings in Murphy’s four cases are expected to continue through the week, with the state trying all four cases together.
