Crime
Gunman who opened fire at Apalachee High School identified as 14-year-old male
Gunman Who Opened Fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Identified as 14-Year-Old Male.
According to the source, it is still unclear whether the teenager was a student at that school.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has confirmed that at least four people were killed and nine were hospitalized in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
Previous reports incorrectly stated that the suspect was deceased. The GBI has clarified that the suspect is alive and in custody.
The victims have not been identified.
Barrow County Coroner Kenny Cooper described the tragic scene at Apalachee High School: “We are methodically searching every classroom in this large school building.
A mass shooting occurred at Apalachee High School in Barrow County around 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday.
Law enforcement and emergency services responded to reports of an active shooter at the school. Dozens of police vehicles and ambulances were deployed to the scene.
A medical helicopter was observed transporting a victim from the location. Authorities from various agencies, including the Georgia State Patrol, Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, Winder County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and GBI, are involved in the investigation.
The suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, is in custody and alive.
Crime
Security guard Yahaira Melendez charged with murder after shooting inside IHOP restaurant in Center City Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA, PA — A security guard has been arrested and charged with murder following a fatal shooting at a Center City IHOP over the weekend that left a 43-year-old man dead.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on Saturday at the IHOP located in the 1300 block of Walnut Street, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
When officers arrived, they discovered a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The victim, who police say was unhoused, was transported to Jefferson Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Investigators report that the victim had been causing a disturbance inside the restaurant prior to the shooting. As security personnel escorted him outside, he allegedly turned and spat on one of the guards.
That guard, identified as 38-year-old Yahaira Melendez, allegedly responded by drawing her firearm and shooting the victim once in the head.
Police say preliminary findings indicate the victim was not armed at the time of the incident.
Melendez, a mother of three, was taken into custody and has been charged with murder and related offenses.
In a statement Melendez’s family expressed shock and disbelief over the situation, writing in part:
“We are shocked and devastated by the tragic events that occurred at the IHOP while she was working security. We know she would never harm anyone unless she felt she had no other choice to protect herself or others.”
The shooting has left nearby workers and residents shaken.
“Escalation — where was the escalation?” asked Karr Anderson, who works next door to the restaurant. “Security guards need to know how to withhold, how to show restraint.”
Philadelphia Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including whether proper security protocols were followed and what led to the use of deadly force.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased pending family notification.