Crime
22-year-old Jalen Allen killed after shooting at Alight Apartments in Cayce
The condition of the individual struck by the car remains unknown at this time.
One person was killed and another injured in a shooting incident at Alight Apartments in Cayce on Monday afternoon.
Cayce Police responded to the scene at 800 Alexander Drive around 4 PM, where they discovered a victim with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body.
The victim, identified as Jalen Latrell Allen, 22, of Columbia, was transported to a local hospital but tragically succumbed to their injuries. An autopsy is scheduled for September 12th at MUSC in Charleston, SC.
Police believe the shooting was an isolated incident and that there is no immediate threat to the residents of the apartment complex.
As a precautionary measure, all entrances to the complex were temporarily blocked, and residents were required to present identification to enter.
A statement released by Alight Apartments indicated that at least one gunshot struck the driver of a vehicle in the parking area, causing them to lose control and strike another person.
The condition of the individual struck by the car remains unknown at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Cayce Police at 803-794-0456 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
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.