Crime
Execution-Style Attack: Diamond Brito Arrested For The Murder of Elijah Clunie
At about 7:00 PM, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, members of the Boston Police Fugitive Unit along with members of the Massachusetts State Police VFAS Unit and United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Diamond Jose Brito, 32, of Canton, in the area of 10 Temple Street, Mattapan.
Brito was wanted on several warrants issued out of Dorchester District Court for the murder of Elijah Ricardo Clunie, 20, of Dorchester.
He is expected to be arraigned on Friday in the Dorchester District Court.
The facts and circumstances surrounding the homicide are as follows: At about 12:55 PM on Monday, September 2, 2024, officers assigned to District C-11 (Dorchester) responded to 184 Washington Street on a report of two people shot.
On arrival, officers located two adult male victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to local hospitals with life threatening injuries.
One of the victims was pronounced at the hospital and has been identified as Elijah Ricardo Clunie, 20, of Dorchester.
The second victim will not be identified and is expected to survive.
The Boston Police Department’s Homicide Unit continues to review the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident.
Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact the Boston Police Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470.
Community members wishing to assist in this investigation anonymously can do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463). The Boston Police Department will stringently guard and protect the identities of all those who wish to help this investigation in an anonymous manner.
For those who find themselves in need of emotional support or simply needing to talk to someone about the distressing events in our community, the Boston Neighborhood Trauma Team (NTT) provides free, private support 24/7 at 617-431-0125.
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.