Sickening video released by Philadelphia police shows a group of teens smile and record as they beat an elderly man to death with traffic cones.
The man, identified by local TV station NBC 10 as James Lambert, was taken to the hospital early June 24 but died the following day from his head injuries, police said. (Cops said Lambert was 72 years old, while the local outlet reported he was 73.)
None of the seven involved in the beat down—four boys and three girls—had been arrested as of Friday morning, but police hope the newly released video and a reward of $20,000 for information will generate leads in the investigation.
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The video, from security cameras on a street in northern Philadelphia, shows the alleged attackers laughing and recording on their cellphones as they chase the man across a street and strike him with traffic cones.
Police blurred out the victim in the video, but it’s apparent the 72-year-old was trying to get away from the teens just before he was attacked. After a final blow was captured on camera, a young girl appears to cover her mouth in horror as she walks toward the victim. Others soon follow, with one boy leaving the view of the camera while smiling on a scooter.
Separate security cameras captured the group after the attack. In those videos, one boy appears to mock the way Lambert fell during the alleged assault.
Philadelphia police did not immediately respond to a request for additional details about the incident, including how it began and what charges the teens could face if arrested.
