Crime
17-year-old Jordan Walden charged with murder in fatal shooting of Marciano Kirkland in Hephzibah
As of now, authorities have not disclosed any potential motive for the shooting.
A 17-year-old has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a man at their shared residence on Hephzibah-McBean Road in Hephzibah, Georgia.
Jordan Walden was taken into custody on Tuesday and faces charges of murder and possession of a firearm in relation to the homicide.
The incident took place at 1457 Hephzibah-McBean Road, where authorities discovered 34-year-old Marciano Kirkland with a gunshot wound inside the home.
Emergency responders pronounced Kirkland dead at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to Coroner Mark Bowen, an autopsy has been scheduled to confirm the official cause and manner of death.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office received the initial call at 3:11 p.m., with deputies arriving shortly thereafter to find Kirkland already deceased.
Sheriff’s Sgt. John Perry reported that the victim had sustained critical injuries from at least one gunshot.
As of now, authorities have not disclosed any potential motive for the shooting.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office continues to gather information surrounding the circumstances of the crime.
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.