Last Updated on July 11, 2022
The Philadelphia Police Department is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the capture of a group of teens who beat an elderly man to death with a traffic cone last month. As of Monday morning, detectives are reportedly “in contact” with the perpetrators, though no charges have been filed at this time.
James Lambert, 73, was crossing Cecil B. Moore Avenue on June 23 when he was attacked by a group of teenagers around 2:30 am. The group proceeded to attack the elderly man and used a traffic cone to repeatedly beat him over the head.
James Lambert succumbed to his injuries a day later.
“I just don’t understand how somebody could take advantage of him like that,” said Elsie Stephens, Lambert’s sister. “He would always bring butter and cheese because in our family, we always made macaroni and cheese, I’m going to miss my brother,” Stephens said.
Stephens raised Lambert “like a son” after their mother drowned when they were teenagers, CBS 3 reported. She would go to school, work, and take care of Lambert and their 10 other siblings.
The grieving sister added that the family has been devastated by the brutal killing and urged the perpetrators to turn themselves in. “Turn yourself in,” Stephens said. “How can you let us suffer like this? You took him away from us and then you don’t have enough nerve to come and face the public to let them know that you are sorry?”
As of Monday morning, the Philadelphia Police Department has reported that they are “in contact” with some of the perpetrators. Detectives have not elaborated as to the charges the teens will face, saying it is up to District Attorney Larry Krasner to decide.
Krasner has garnered a reputation as a soft-on-crime DA.
