Man accused of pushing drowning victim into Baltimore harbor following fight charged with murder: Police
A Maryland man has been charged with murder after he allegedly pushed another man into a Baltimore harbor following a fight and the individual drowned, police said.
The incident occurred on Sunday in the Inner Harbor area, according to Baltimore police.
First responders with the Baltimore Fire Department pulled the drowning victim, identified by police as 37-year-old James Britt of Baltimore, from the water shortly after 3 p.m. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the charging document.
James Fitzsimmons, 36, of Parkville, Maryland, was arrested in connection with his death and charged with second-degree murder, police said Monday.
"Homicide detectives learned that the two men were involved in a physical altercation when Fitzsimmons pushed Britt into the water as Britt retreated from Fitzsimmons," the Baltimore Police Department said in a statement.
Surveillance video recovered by police showed the two men fighting in an alley and then Britt retreating from Fitzsimmons, according to the charging document. The video showed Fitzsimmons catch up to Britt nearby before allegedly pushing him into the Inner Harbor, according to the document.
Witnesses also reported seeing Fitzsimmons "on foot pursuing the victim as he appeared trying to retreat or escape" from him, according to the charging document.
After being read his Miranda rights, Fitzsimmons allegedly admitted to a detective that he fought with Britt, who was "retreating from his advances," the document stated.
He allegedly told the detective that Britt jumped in the harbor, though the video evidence "shows the defendant pushed the victim into the water," the document stated.
After the victim's girlfriend said that Britt can't swim, Fitzsimmons allegedly recounted that he responded, "Oh well," and walked away, according to the document.
Fitzsimmons has also been charged with manslaughter and assault, online court records show. He is being held without bail ahead of a bail hearing on Tuesday, according to the records. No attorney information is listed for him.
