Crime
Law enforcement responding to multiple bomb threats at Seven voting precincts in DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections has reported bomb threats at seven locations, including five active voting precincts across the county.
To ensure the safety of voters and staff, the DeKalb County Police Department is conducting bomb sweeps at each of these sites.
The polling precincts affected are as follows:
- New Bethel AME Church at 8350 Rockbridge Rd., Lithonia
- New Life Community Center at 3592 Flat Shoals Rd., Decatur
- North DeKalb Senior Center at 3393 Malone Dr., Chamblee
- Reid H. Cofer Library at 5234 Lavista Rd., Tucker
- Wesley Chapel Library at 2861 Wesley Chapel Rd., Decatur
Additional locations, though not polling sites, have also received threats:
- Stonecrest (Old Sam’s Club), which is not an active polling location
- Salem Panola Library at 5137 Salem Rd., Lithonia
In response, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has assured the public, stating, “Every asset that we have will be deployed to ensure that every citizen who wants to vote will be given that opportunity and every vote cast will be counted.” DeKalb VRE Executive Director Keisha Smith added, “Rest assured that we are working quickly to ensure every voter will have an opportunity to cast their ballot despite these bomb threats.”
Voting at these affected locations is temporarily suspended as a precaution, and voting will resume once the police confirm the sites are safe.
The DeKalb County Law Department is also working to obtain an emergency order to extend voting hours at these impacted locations, ensuring every voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot.
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.