Crime
Westside High School teacher Rebecca Geiger and her husband Rory Geiger killed in Sarpy County domestic violence shooting
A teacher from Westside High School, Rebecca Geiger, 45, and her husband, Rory Geiger, 44, tragically lost their lives in a shooting on the southwest edge of the Omaha metro area.
The incident occurred Monday morning in a neighborhood south of Highway 50 and Giles Road and is believed by investigators to have originated from a domestic violence altercation.
Omaha police responded to a 911 call around 3 a.m. from South 143rd Street and Meadows Parkway.
The caller, reportedly the couple’s daughter, told dispatchers that her father had shot her mother and was now pointing the gun at her.
Authorities noted they had visited the same residence about a month prior for a domestic incident and had been warned by the individuals not to return.
Upon arrival Monday, officers were reportedly met with gunfire through a window of the home.
The deputies returned fire and subsequently entered the residence, where they found one of the victims.
Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures, but the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
Five deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, per standard procedure.
Authorities report that none of the deputies sustained injuries. Investigators are currently reviewing body camera footage from the deputies as well as footage from cameras located inside and outside the home.
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.