Crime
Recently Fired Employee Fatally Shoots Two Persons at Chicago’s Navy Pier, Suspect in custody
Two individuals were injured in a shooting incident at Chicago’s well-known Navy Pier on Tuesday afternoon, as confirmed by the Chicago Fire Department.
The shooting reportedly took place shortly before 1:45 p.m. in the 900 block of East Grand Avenue, which encompasses a section of Navy Pier, one of the city’s most frequented tourist spots along Lake Michigan.
Tragically, both individuals who were shot at Chicago’s Navy Pier earlier today have now been pronounced dead.
The victims have been identified as two males, one approximately 51 years old and the other around 47 years old.
According to initial reports, the suspect is a former employee who was recently terminated from a restaurant located within Navy Pier.
He was terminated on October 14th.
Witnesses last saw him fleeing the area near the loading dock, reportedly still wearing a chef’s uniform.
At this time, the suspect remains at large. Chicago Police have confirmed that an active search is underway to locate and apprehend him.
The police are urging anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts to come forward, as they continue their investigation into this tragic incident.
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.