No jail time for former Bowie Police officer who fired shot at unarmed man
Former Officer Robert Warrington Sentenced
BOWIE, Md. - Tensions are high after a former Bowie Police officer was sentenced for shooting at an unarmed man in 2024.
What we know:
Former Sergeant Robert Warrington, who was convicted of attempted second-degree murder, will not spend any time behind bars.
Warrington will be on home detention for three years and is prohibited from being a police officer or carrying a gun.
The victim's family said the sentencing is a joke. Nathaniel Richardson, the victim in the case, said nothing will ever be the same for him. He called it the worst two years of his life.
"For a police officer to attempt to kill someone and get house arrest. I mean, if it was the other way around, my son would be in jail," said Richardson's mother, Nicole. "I believe he deserves to go to jail, but I also believe karma is real."
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The courtroom was packed Friday for the sentencing hearing, which included several hours of emotional testimony from Richardson and his family, along with Warrington and his family.
Warrington's family said he lost his wife to cancer several years ago and suffered from PTSD. He sobbed on the stand, saying he does not want to be defined by those 30 seconds. Warrington also apologized to Richardson and his family directly.
Dig deeper:
The case made national headlines when it happened in September 2024.
Body camera footage captured Warrington firing shots at Richardson after pulling him over on Route 50 to assist. He immediately says "I’m sorry" multiple times.
Warrington did not hit Richardson, but hit a minivan that was driving by. He was found guilty on all counts in a bench trial in May.
READ MORE | Bowie officer found guilty in shooting of unarmed man on Route 50
"They say he's not a threat to the community, but he is," Nicole said. "He tried to kill somebody. He was scared. If he has PTSD, he shouldn't be an officer, he should have retired."
Warrington was ultimately sentenced to 30 years, with all but 18 months suspended and to be served on home detention. He also received five years of supervised probation, with additional home detention to be served during the first 18 months.
Some in the courtroom said this was the best possible outcome, while Richardson and his family said it was not enough.
The Source: Information in this article is from the courtroom.