DETROIT (FOX 2) - A man accused of attacking a German tourist who was visiting Detroit was ordered to undergo a competency exam on Thursday.
Lawrence Gilchrist, 30, was initially charged with assault after the Sept. 7 attack near Campus Martius. The charges were upgraded to second-degree murder after the victim, Dieter Kirsch, 81, died on Sept. 17.
Authorities said Kirsch, who was from Berlin, Germany, was visiting Detroit on a cruise ship when he was punched unprovoked. The assault caused Kirsch to fall and hit his head.
Police: Suspect in downtown Detroit elderly German tourist attack may suffer mental issues
The 81-year-old victim's condition is said to be grave, with more relatives flying into Detroit to be at his side.
"This happened very quickly, seconds," said Cmdr. Matthew Fulgenzi, with Detroit police. "He was mad for whatever reason and took his anger out on this elderly gentleman."
Gilchrist was remanded to jail after he was arraigned on the new murder charge.
"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," said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy when announcing the amended charges.
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