Two of the seven juveniles who allegedly beat an elderly man to death with a traffic cone last month in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, turned themselves in on Monday to authorities.
According to local media, two unidentified brothers, ages 14 and 10, turned themselves in to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit for their involvement in the murder of 73-year-old James “Simmie” Lambert. Currently, the suspects have not received formal charges.
Authorities released security camera footage last week showing the group of teens violently beating Lambert with traffic cones. They described the suspects as “four black males and three black females who appear to be in their early to mid-teens.”
“The teens struck the victim several times with objects, knocking the victim to the ground causing injuries to his head,” Philadelphia PD said. “The victim was transported to the hospital where he died of his injuries the following day.”
The video shows the suspects chasing Lambert across the street before one clocks him in the back of the head with a traffic cone that knocked him down. Another teen then picks up the cone and throws it at the elderly man while he’s on the ground. Lambert then gets up and attempts to get away, but the group of juveniles once again pursues him before they are out of the camera’s frame.
NBC10 reported video surveillance shows the suspects leaving the crime scene with one hopping on a scooter and talking to another young person walking alongside him right after the attack. They can later be seen gathering again, with one teen mimicking a person stumbling.
Authorities transported Lambert to a nearby hospital, where he died the following day.
Lambert’s family, who saw him hours before the attack, told NBC Philadelphia they’re heartbroken and in disbelief that the attack happened by a group of kids.
“It’s so evil,” Elsie Stephens, the victim’s older sister told NBC10. “How could you do that to a person. You have a mother and a father — how could you just beat a man until you take off half of his skull?”
Lambert’s niece said she couldn’t comprehend teenagers would beat an older person in the street for no apparent reason.
“I’m sick to my stomach over this,” Tania Stephens, Lambert’s niece, told the New York Post. “We all can’t stop crying.”
“Who does this? Anyone normal doesn’t beat up and kill a senior citizen walking down the street,” she added. “Simmie didn’t deserve this.”
Philadelphia law enforcement offered a $20,000 reward to identify the seven suspects.
“These kids should come forward,” Stephens told the New York Post. “Their parents should come forward. Something is very wrong when kids are out at 2 a.m. beating and killing an old man. We’ve lost God. We’ve lost family. What’s happened to us?”
NBC10 reported Philadelphia police data shows the city has seen 280 homicides in 2022 — only 2% lower than the same time last year.
Homicide data shows 2021 in Philadelphia as the deadliest year in history.
Zach Jewell contributed to this report.
Source: Dailywire
