According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Christopher Fogleman, a jury has found defendant, Gary Savage, 60, of Tampa, FL, guilty of Attempted First-Degree Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter, and two counts of Use of a Firearm in Commission of a Crime of Violence.
This stems from an incident on September 3rd, 2021. The defendant drove from where he was living in Tampa, FL to the home of his estranged wife on Baileys Court in Silver Spring, MD. When Savage arrived, his estranged wife and her boyfriend, 44-year-old Whali Shabazz, were getting into a vehicle. Text messages that were admitted into evidence showed Savage knew the two victims were together and expected Shabaz to be there when he arrived. Savage opened fire on both of them, killing Shabaz and continuing to shoot at his estranged wife while she took cover behind another vehicle. She was not injured.
In court, the defendant claimed self-defense saying he opened fire due to the perceived threat of a handgun that Whali Shabaz had in his possession. The jury returned its verdict late Friday evening. Savage faces the potential of life in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 17th, 2023. Assistant State’s Attorney’s Jim Dietrich and Lauren Turner are prosecuting this case.”
