Crime
False Alarm: No Active Threat reported at Azle Junior High School in Texas
Parents and guardians are urged to avoid the area and follow the instructions of law enforcement officials.
UPDATE: Earlier today, students at Azle Junior High School reported hearing noises that they believed to be gunshots.
As a precautionary measure, the school was immediately placed on lockdown while law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the campus.
After a comprehensive investigation, it was determined that the sounds were most likely related to nearby construction activities. There was no active threat to the school or the students.
The lockdown has been lifted, and normal school operations have resumed. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this incident.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
Azle, TX – A serious incident is unfolding at Azle Junior High School, located at 201 School Street. Authorities have confirmed that an active shooter situation is currently underway.
Local law enforcement agencies are on the scene and have secured the perimeter of the school. Emergency services are also responding to the incident.
Parents and guardians are urged to avoid the area and follow the instructions of law enforcement officials.
As at the time of this report, there has been neither confirmation nor identification of any victims.
No suspects have been identified, and there has been no information immediately released regarding any arrests.
Police ask public to please stay out of the area.
This is a developing story that will be updated when more information is available.
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.