Crime
1 dead, 2 others injured in shooting at Silver Dollar Saloon in El Monte
No information regarding a potential suspect has been released by authorities.
El Monte, California – A tragic shooting incident at a local sports bar in El Monte resulted in one fatality and two injuries early Saturday morning.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight at the Silver Dollar Saloon on Lower Azusa Road.
El Monte Police officers responded to reports of gunfire and were directed inside the bar by patrons upon arrival.
Inside, officers discovered a Hispanic male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second victim, a Hispanic woman who had also been shot, was transported to a local hospital and is listed in stable condition.
Witnesses reported seeing a third person, a woman who may have also been shot, flee the scene.
Law enforcement officials are currently searching for this third victim.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
No information regarding a potential suspect has been released by authorities.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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.