A man who terrorized a family on a WMATA bus in DC with a Uzi-style pistol has been sentenced to five years in prison. Ricardo Rush, a 29-year-old DC resident, received his sentence on October 23 after pleading guilty to multiple charges. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Ferris Pirro, announced the sentencing as a consequence of the incident that occurred in March earlier this year.
Rush, branded as a felon from a prior conviction, embarked on a bus on March 8, and shortly after a family, which included two small children, sat in front of him. As reported by the United States Attorney's Office, the situation quickly escalated when Rush began harassing the family, menacingly revealed a black pistol, and threatened their lives. Visibly shaken, the family was subjected to Rush's hostility, which continued even after he briefly stepped off the bus.
The confrontation ended with Rush fleeing from the scene, only to be arrested by law enforcement on April 10 at around 11:10 a.m. at his residence. In Rush's possession, officers discovered a black MasterPiece Arms Defender semi-automatic handgun, loaded and complete with a high-capacity magazine. This weapon, Rush, was prohibited from being possessed due to a previous conviction of assault with a dangerous weapon in 2021, as relayed by officials.
This case was brought to a close with the efforts of both WMATA and the Metropolitan Police Department, and the prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English and Special Assistant Haley Pennington. As a part of his sentence, aside from prison time, Judge Amir H. Ali has mandated that Rush will also be subject to three years of supervised release. The sentencing, enforcing the gravity of Rush's actions, takes into account the allegations of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense, all of which Rush had pleaded guilty to on June 17.
