After seven days of witness testimony and a review of dramatic video evidence, a Baltimore County jury found David Linthicum guilty of attempted first-degree murder, among other charges. The verdict stems from an incident in February 2023 that led to a three-day manhunt, as reported by Fox Baltimore.
During the trial, chilling footage was shown of Linthicum firing 16 rounds at police officers, critically injuring one. Linthicum was convicted on all counts presented, including four counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of armed carjacking, and four counts of commission of a firearm in a crime of violence. The defense claimed Linthicum was mentally ill at the time of the incident and did not intend to harm the officers. However, Assistant States Attorney Zarena Sita argued, "Pointing a firearm at another human being is assault ... and firing it ... is attempted murder," as detailed by WBALTV.
The shootings occurred after Linthicum's father contacted authorities, reporting his son as armed and suicidal. While the defense insisted the incident was a desperate act of self-harm gone awry, the prosecution presented it as a targeted assault on law enforcement. The attack left Officer Barry Jordan and Detective Jonathan Chih severely wounded, the latter surviving after nearly a month hospitalized due to multiple surgeries on his face and arms.
In her closing argument, defense attorney Deb Levi said, "It was not intentional, even if it sounds horrible. It's awful. We agree with that. It is awful, (but) this was not an intentional attempted anything. He was mentally ill." Suggesting a failure in mental health crisis response, Deb Levi announced plans for an appeal. At the same time, David Linthicum's fate now lies within the court's decision and not out in the plaza where his family gathered, appearing united in the wake of the verdict, as reported by WBALTV.
