Crime
Man killed his 1-year-old child then shot himself in St. James Parish
A tragic case of murder-suicide involving a father and his one-year-old child unfolded Wednesday afternoon in Convent, Louisiana, according to Louisiana State Police.
The situation began in St. James Parish shortly after 2 p.m. when deputies from the St. James Sheriff’s Office were called to a residence in Paulina.
A request had been made for a deputy to stand by as a man was expected to arrive at the home to collect his belongings. However, the man never showed up, according to a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
Around 4 p.m., deputies returned to the residence after a second call.
This time, a woman at the location asked officers to conduct a welfare check on the man and their child, who were believed to be traveling together in an unknown area.
Investigators then traced the vehicle to Ascension Parish.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Gonzales Police Department and the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, located the vehicle and pursued it back into St. James Parish.
When the vehicle was stopped, officers discovered the driver, a 23-year-old man, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tragically, his infant child was also found in the vehicle, deceased from a gunshot wound.
The father was rushed to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, Louisiana State Police confirmed.
The identities of both the father and child have not yet been released.
The Louisiana State Police is leading the investigation, with assistance from the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office.
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.