76-year-old woman in critical condition after she and man assaulted in Fells Point, police say

A 76-year-old woman remained in critical condition Wednesday, a day after she and a man were assaulted and robbed in the Fells Point neighborhood, Baltimore Police said.

Police officers responded around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a robbery in the 1700 block of Fleet Street.

Officers spoke with the victims, who said they had been assaulted and robbed by an unidentified male.

Police said the man hit both victims and knocked them to the ground before stealing a wallet from one of them. The suspect then fled toward South Regester Street.

Employees at neighboring businesses told WJZ that the man and woman had left Broadway Market after having breakfast when they were attacked.

Police said the man is in stable condition, while the woman remains in critical condition.

“There are no updates or changes regarding the victims’ conditions at this time,” said Vernon Davis, a spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department. “The investigation remains active and ongoing.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

The attack came days before the start of the 60th Annual Fell’s Point Fun Festival, which celebrates the history of the community that dates to the 18th century, and amid an ongoing debate over reducing crime.

Fells Point residents said the most alarming part of the incident was that it happened in the morning.

“It’s jarring because it’s crazy here on the weekends,” Fells Point resident Rolf Taylor said. “I don’t go out after 10 p.m. But this was first thing this morning, so that is a little scary and I think a bit unusual. Usually when there’s trouble here, it’s late at night.”

Taylor said the robbery happened about 50 yards from his home.

He said he had not seen or heard about violent crime in the area.

“I’m really amazed because despite the reputation, in all the eight years I’ve been living here on this block, I have not seen crime,” Taylor said. “I have not seen anything that I would really consider dangerous.”

Another resident, Wayne Bahner, said he, too, was surprised by the daytime attack.

“At one time, criminals came out after the sun went down. Now these criminals are just coming out any time. They don’t care,” Bahner said.

Neighbors called on Baltimore and state officials to take a more hands-on approach to addressing crime.

“Tell these people downtown at City Hall, councilmen, mayor, get them out here,” Bahner said. “Let them walk around, let them see what’s going on around here instead of sitting behind that desk.”

The city established ID checkpoints in Fells Point’s entertainment district this summer to minimize dangers such as fights, threats of violence, outdoor alcohol consumption and marijuana use, officials said. The checkpoints, which required residents to present a physical ID or a verified digital ID stored in a phone wallet, ended after Labor Day weekend.

Neighbors said the incident is an indication to stay conscious of their surroundings.

“I think it reminds me to just be very aware of what is going on,” Taylor said. “I am a little older than one of the people who got knocked over, so it can happen to anyone.”

Banner reporter Darreonna Davis contributed to this article. WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner.