An 81-year-old tourist from Germany has died following an unprovoked attack in Detroit, leading to upgraded charges for a 30-year-old Detroit man, Lawrence Deonte Gilchrist. CBS News Detroit reports that Dieter Kirsch, the victim, was assaulted on September 7 and succumbed to his injuries ten days later.
The incident took place in the morning on Woodward Avenue. According to ClickOnDetroit, Kirsch was found lying on the ground with a severe head injury. Medics transported the injured man to an a Metro Detroit Hospital, where he ultimately died from his injuries on September 17. Gilchrist, originally charged with assault intent to do great bodily harm and aggravated assault, now faces a second-degree murder charge after the death of Kirsch.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy expressed her dismay over the incident. "A lot of work has gone into making our city a welcoming beacon to all, only to have the alleged horrific actions of this defendant deeply tarnish these efforts. But much more importantly, 81-year-old Dieter Kirsch must pay the undeserved price of what the defendant decided to do. This is heartbreaking on so many levels," Worthy said in a statement obtained by Audacy.
Gilchrist was arraigned on the new charge yesterday and remanded to jail. Legal proceedings are set to continue with a probable cause conference scheduled for October 3, and a preliminary examination on October 9.
