Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 26-year-old Robert B. McBride of Buffalo was sentenced this morning before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek to a determinate sentence of 16 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. He was sentenced today as a second violent felony offender.

On April 4, 2019, at approximately 4:30 a.m., Buffalo Police were on routine patrol in the vicinity of Lang and Newburgh Avenues when they were approached by a resident who told the officers that he heard a gunshot fired after he witnessed a man attempting to break into his daughter’s vehicle.

A short time later, the police officers approached the defendant, who matched the description of the suspect provided by the resident, nearby on Courtland Avenue. The defendant pulled out a gun, pointed it at the officers, and he ran off. A short distance away, the defendant fired multiple shots in the direction of the officers. No police officers were injured by the gunfire.

An illegal handgun was recovered after the incident, which was linked to the defendant through DNA.

McBride pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (Class “B” violent felony) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony) on October 13, 2021.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Matthew S. Szalkowski of the Major Crimes Unit and Chief Patrick B. Shanahan of the Felony Trials Bureau.