Randall Lambert, a 45-year-old White man from North Charleston, South Carolina, was known as a hard worker who owned a successful auto shop. A fundraiser organized for his family after his death described him as a beloved friend and a huge part of many people's lives. Above all, he was a father to his daughter, Ashlynn.
Late on the night of August 5, 2021, an encounter outside a bar in the West Ashley area of Charleston turned fatal.
According to Charleston Police, who reviewed surveillance footage, a man later identified as Joseph A. Collins was sitting on a bench outside the Back 9 Pub on Ashley River Road, talking with a woman he was on a date with. Shortly after 11:30 p.m., Randall Lambert walked up and touched Collins on the head. In response, Collins shot Lambert.
Police were dispatched to the pub for a report of shots fired at approximately 12:45 a.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021. Officers arrived to find Lambert lying unresponsive in the parking lot with a gunshot wound. Medical aid was rendered, but he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Charleston County Coroner's Office later confirmed his identity and that he died from the gunshot wound.
The investigation quickly led authorities to a suspect. Joseph A. Collins, a 33-year-old man from Ravenel, was identified and taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Collins was booked into the Charleston County Detention Center.
The case against Joseph Collins is proceeding through the court system. As of the last available reports in August 2021, he remained in jail awaiting legal proceedings for the shooting death of Randall Lambert.
