Dark clouds gather over Inner Harbor as unsettled weather moves into the Baltimore area. (Kevin Richardson/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
A Maryland man was charged with second-degree murder following a fight near the Baltimore Inner Harbor. According to the Associated Press, James Fitzsimmons fought with another man, James Britt, before pushing him into the water. The incident went down on Sunday (August 2) afternoon.
According to court documents, police have obtained surveillance video showing James and James fighting in an alley. It’s unclear what led to the fight between the men or whether they knew each other prior to. Eventually, footage shows James Britt retreating from the area. Then, he crosses the street toward the water at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Soon after, James Fitzsimmons caught up to Britt and pushed him into the harbor, police said.While speaking to investigators, Fitzsimmons, who is from Parkville, told them that Britt jumped into the water. He also said Britt’s girlfriend told him he couldn’t swim. In response, Fitzsimmon allegedly said, “Oh well,” and walked away.
Rescue divers responding to a reported drowning found James Britt in the Inner Harbor. Officials declared the 37-year-old dead at a hospital. Now, Fitzsimmons, 36, is accused of killing Britt, who is from Baltimore. His charges include second-degree murder, manslaughter and assault. James is due back in court on August 27. No attorney is listed for him in court records, and no phone number could be found, per the AP.
In an unrelated incident, last month, a mother died while trying to save her 4-year-old from drowning. The child had fallen into the St. Johns River in Florida. She hopped in to rescue him and managed to hold her son above water, but was submerged in the process. Despite being pulled onto a boat and receiving CPR, the mother of six later died in the hospital’s ICU.
Another drowning in July had a more similar undertone to the James Fitzsimmons’ case. A 17-year-old was accused of drowning a 13-year-old in South Carolina by holding him under the water, along with another unidentified teen.
