Crime
7-year-old Eli Thomas shot and killed at a home in Lancaster
A firearm was recovered at the scene of the shooting.
A 7-year-old boy, identified as Eli Thomas, was tragically killed in a shooting incident that occurred Thursday evening at a home in Lancaster.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that Thomas was visiting a friend’s house on Dahlia Street when he was fatally shot.
Paramedics attempted to revive him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
The county Department of Medical Examiner is conducting an investigation to determine whether the shooting was a homicide or an accident.
No arrests have been made, and while foul play was initially not suspected, the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
Investigators are actively interviewing individuals and gathering evidence.
A firearm was recovered at the scene of the shooting.
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.