A 36-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly shoving a stranger into Baltimore's Inner Harbor, leading to the victim's drowning. The incident occurred Sunday after a dispute between James Fitzsimmons and 37-year-old James Britt, whom Fitzsimmons did not know.
According to charging documents, Fitzsimmons chased Britt to the water's edge behind a Whole Foods and pushed him into the harbor. Britt's girlfriend reportedly warned Fitzsimmons that the victim could not swim, but authorities said Fitzsimmons replied, "Oh, well" and walked away.
Baltimore Fire and rescue personnel responded to a call about two men in the water. By the time they arrived, Fitzsimmons had already exited the harbor. Divers pulled Britt from the water, and he was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Fitzsimmons admitted to a physical altercation with Britt but claimed Britt ran off and jumped into the water voluntarily. However, security camera footage reportedly shows Fitzsimmons chasing Britt and pushing him into the water. Fitzsimmons also apparently briefly entered the water with Britt before climbing out.