Rally held for 73-year-old man killed in attack by group of kids in North Philadelphia
Rally held for 73-year-old man killed in attack by group of kids in North Philadelphia
A North Philadelphia community gathered along with family members of 73-year-old James Lambert to call for an end to the overwhelming violence plaguing the city. Lambert died after he was beaten in the street by a group of young people, two of them are now charged.
PHILADELPHIA - Family members and loved ones of a Philadelphia senior citizen who died following an attack by a group of kids gathered to mourn and demand change.
Authorities say 73-year-old James Lambert was attacked by a group of youths last month on the 2100 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue around 3 a.m.
The Philadelphia Police Department released surveillance video of the attack and announced a $20k reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
The video appeared to show a group of teens surrounding Lambert and some of them could be seen picking up a traffic cone and hitting Lambert.
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Officials say Lambert was knocked to the ground during the attack. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died from head injuries, police said.
In the weeks following the deadly attack, four children between the ages of 10 and 14 turned themselves in to police. Two of them, both 14, have been charged as adults with attempted murder.
Meanwhile, the North Philadelphia community organized a rally Thursday to call for an end to the overwhelming violence currently plaguing the city.
Denise Ripley, a local block captain in North Philadelphia, urged those who live near 22nd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to support the Lambert family.
"We have to show support that we do not want to see this kind of thing go on, it must stop," Ripley said.
Lambert's younger sister, Jacqueline, and niece, Tania, joined the Thursday evening rally.
"A lot of people are fed up with what transpired, what happened to my uncle and how it happened to him, and how the children, that generation is such a lost generation right now," Tania said.
A law enforcement source told FOX 29 that although as many as seven young people were spotted in the video, only two are expected to be charged.