Fitchburg man pleads guilty to 2019 shooting at homicide vigil

WORCESTER — A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty in Superior Court Friday to charges related to the 2019 shooting of another man during a memorial for a homicide victim.

William R. Linde Jr., 36, will serve between four to five years in state prison.

Linde pleaded to three counts Friday: Assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal and possession of a loaded firearm, according to a spokesperson for the Worcester County District Attorney's office.

Judge Daniel Wrenn sentenced him to prison for the first two counts and one year of probation for possession of a loaded firearm.

Linde was accused of shooting 22-year-old Bassam Nzovu in the face during a July 15, 2019, vigil in the area of 30 Blossom St. in Fitchburg.

The vigil was for Leon Wilson, who was shot and killed just four days prior to the vigil in the same area.

Nzovu is reported to have run into Fitchburg police headquarters to report that he had been shot. Despite briefly being in a coma for a time after the shooting, Nzovu survived.

As part of the plea agreement, two counts were dismissed: Armed assault with intent to murder and possession of ammunition as an armed career criminal.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: William R. Linde Jr. pleads guilty to shooting man at Fitchburg vigil