Crime
Report of person with gun at Germantown High School was not credible
The GHS campus is safe and secure and we will resume all activities at GHS as normal beginning Saturday, October 26th.
UPDATE: At 6:20 p.m. on October 25th, a call was made to the Germantown Police Department via 911. reporting an unidentified individual was seen with a gun at Germantown High School.
Germantown Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s office swiftly reported to GHS. Individuals in the building either evacuated or took shelter.
Germantown Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s swept the entire building to secure employees that took shelter after the 911 call.
The report of an individual with a weapon was not credible and the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office confirmed the building and staff were safe and secure.
An individual was transported by EMT because of a medical condition due to the stress of the situation.
The GHS campus is safe and secure and we will resume all activities at GHS as normal beginning Saturday, October 26th.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
On Friday night, October 25th, Germantown High School was placed on lockdown after reports of a person with a weapon.
Germantown Police Department, in conjunction with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies, responded to the incident.
Officers, including those equipped with rifles, surrounded the school building.
A drone was also deployed to assist in the search.
While the situation is still under investigation, the school appears to be secure.
No further details have been released at this time.
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.