Crime
Blue Alert Issued for 33-Year-Old Seth Altman in Connection with Injury of Hall County Sheriff’s Officer
The public is urged to exercise caution and avoid approaching Altman if spotted.
An emergency alert has been issued for Seth Altman, a 33-year-old white male wanted in connection with the injury of a Hall County Sheriff’s Office officer.
Altman is described as 6’2″ tall and weighing 220 pounds.
He was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt and blue jeans.
The suspect is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
The incident occurred late Thursday night when a police officer was shot in the 200 block of S 4th Street in Memphis, a small city in Hall County, roughly 80 miles southeast of Amarillo.
According to reports, the victim may be Memphis Police Chief Rex Plant, though this has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
The officer was shot multiple times and airlifted to Amarillo for treatment, but their current condition remains unknown.
Authorities urge anyone who spots Seth Altman to call 911 immediately.
The public is urged to exercise caution and avoid approaching Altman if spotted.
If you have any other information that could assist investigators, please contact the Hall County Sheriff’s Office at (806) 259-2636.
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.