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On June 14, 2022, 72-year-old James Lambert was brutally attacked in Philadelphia by a group of seven teenagers while walking across Cecil B. Moore Avenue. According to authorities, he was admitted to a local hospital where he passed away from his injuries the next day. Police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the murder.
What happened to James Lambert? Philadelphia homicide raises questions regarding safety as assailants are yet to be arrested
On Friday, July 8, the Philadelphia Police Department released a disturbing video of the incident. In the surveillance footage, the assailants can be seen attacking James Lambert mercilessly with a traffic cone. At one point, Lambert tries to get up from the road to escape the group. However, he is chased by a girl who then throws a traffic cone at his head. The heavy blow knocks him out. In another video, the teens can be seen re-enacting the fatal attack.
The most disturbing part of the video, however, is the absolute lack of remorse or shock in the young teenagers. The assailants can be seen laughing and filming the whole incident. Later, they all leave the scene without looking back, as can be seen in the video posted by the city police. The lack of empathy is alarming to say the least.
Trigger warning: The following video contains graphic content. Viewer's discretion is advised.
As seen in the shocking video posted by the Philadelphia police, an elderly man, who was later identified as James Lambert, tried to escape the group of teens at around 3 AM in the morning but was unsuccessful in his attempt. He later died from the deadly injuries they inflicted on him. All seven assailants walked away free from the crime scene. Weeks later, they are yet to be arrested.
The Philadelphia Police Department is offering a reward of $20,000 for any information on the assailants leading to an arrest. Surveillance camera pictures have also been provided in hopes of aiding the search for the teens. The suspects have been described by police as:
"Four black males and three black females who appear to be in their early to mid-teens."
James Lambert's family expressed their disbelief at this gruesome act and told NBC10's Danny Freeman that Lambert's sudden demise had left them heartbroken.
Philadelphia has already recorded a large number of homicides in 2022, with numbers crossing 200 after a horrifying Memorial Weekend which left twelve people dead. Despite the steady rise in homicides, local leaders are hopeful that this year's crime rate will be lower than last year's. 2021 recorded 562 murders, the highest ever in the city's history.
