Story perspectives

Man Charged with Murder After Pushing Victim into Baltimore Harbor

8/5/2026

Summary

Fitzsimmons Pushes

U.S. authorities charged James Fitzsimmons of Maryland with second-degree murder after he allegedly pushed James Britt of Baltimore into the Inner Harbor, where Britt later died.
Video shows the men fighting in an alley, Britt retreating toward the street, Fitzsimmons pursuing, shoving Britt into the water, and replying, “Oh well,” before leaving.
Fitzsimmons is held without bail, faces manslaughter and assault charges, and will appear in court on Aug. 27.

Summary

Scott Urges Safety

Mayor Brandon Scott said the altercation could have been avoided, urging people not to let disputes turn deadly.
Residents of Harbor East and Fells Point said they feel unsafe walking at night after the killing.
The case was the second harbor rescue on Sunday, after a 48-year-old man was pulled from Canton in a motorcycle-theft fight.
Authorities asked anyone with information to call 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7-LOCKUP.

History

Historical Context

The 1968 Baltimore riots erupted after Martin Luther King Jr.’s April 4 assassination, prompting Governor Spiro Agnew to deploy roughly 6,000 National Guard troops and impose a curfew from April 6-14. Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro III struggled to contain the unrest. Today, James Fitzsimmons’ alleged push of James Britt into the Inner Harbor has revived those security concerns, leading Mayor Brandon Scott to issue a citywide warning.

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Fitzsimmons Pushes

U.S. authorities charged James Fitzsimmons of Maryland with second-degree murder after he allegedly pushed James Britt of Baltimore into the Inner Harbor, where Britt later died.
Video shows the men fighting in an alley, Britt retreating toward the street, Fitzsimmons pursuing, shoving Britt into the water, and replying, “Oh well,” before leaving.
Fitzsimmons is held without bail, faces manslaughter and assault charges, and will appear in court on Aug. 27.

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