ST. LOUIS — A City of St. Louis sheriff’s deputy once lauded by a carjacking victim’s family as a hero has been indicted on murder charges.
This week, a St. Louis County grand jury indicted James Buchanan, 53, with second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges for the shooting death of William Burgess, 27, according to sources.
Police said Burgess carjacked and attacked a 67-year-old man and his 10-year-old grandson while they were sitting in a McDonald’s drive-thru just before 7 a.m. on July 6, 2020 along Bellefontaine Road in north county, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
The victim’s family members said Burgess attacked them with a screwdriver as they sat in their truck.
After a struggle, Burgess took off with the truck and the victims ran. Then, police said Burgess made a U-turn and drove up onto the sidewalk where the victims were walking in the 11100 block of Bellefontaine Road.
The victim’s daughter, Sara Buck, told 5 On Your Side her father pushed her son out of the way, but the truck struck his leg.
The child took cover behind a tree.
Buchanan was in uniform and on his way to work when he stopped and ran after Burgess, police said at the time.
“Everyone riots over the police, but this officer, I’m thanking God for because they might not be here if he did not intervene,” Sara Buck said at the time. “Whoever this officer is, he needs to be thanked.”
Two St. Louis County police officers in the area stopped to help the victims and heard a single gunshot come from between two nearby houses. Burgess died at a hospital.
Police found the screwdriver near the truck, not where Burgess was shot.
Burgess’ mother, Erinn Wicks, told 5 On Your Side just days after his death that she was shocked when detectives told her what her son did.
“I was overwhelmed,” she said at the time. “I’ve never known him to do anything like that. My sympathy went out to the victims because I know that was really scary for them and I’m glad they’re OK.”
Wicks said Burgess was the second oldest of her five children and he struggled with heroin addiction. He had plans to go to rehab the day he was killed.
The day before he died, Wicks said he apologized for all he had put her through and promised to go to rehab and get better. He was charged with drug possession earlier this year but doesn’t have any criminal convictions on his record.
Wicks said her son was paranoid and was convinced the police were after him. He told her they were using drones to track him and pointing red lasers at him.
She said she had never known him to be violent and was critical of Buchanan’s actions.
“I want to know what happened behind the building that caused him to shoot my son,” she said. “He should have went to jail for what he did. I don’t condone crime or carjackings, but I also feel like he should have been punished for what he did. He didn’t deserve to die for what he did.
“You put yourself in danger without backup, he should have waited for the police.”