Crime
Shooting at Tulsa Main Event Leaves One Dead, Another Injured
The second victim sustained non-life-threatening wounds and is expected to recover.
In the early hours of Sunday, December 8, 2024, Tulsa Police responded to a shooting outside the Main Event entertainment center near 81st Street and Union Avenue.
The incident occurred around 1:20 a.m., following a reported altercation in the parking lot.
According to witnesses, a fight broke out among several individuals as they were leaving the venue.
During the altercation, multiple gunshots were fired, striking two individuals. Both victims were quickly transported to separate hospitals by private vehicles from the parking lot.
Tragically, one victim succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
The second victim sustained non-life-threatening wounds and is expected to recover.
The Tulsa Police Department’s Homicide Unit is leading the investigation and is actively working to piece together the events that led to the shooting.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
“If you know anything about this case and have not yet spoken to one of our investigators, please contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS,” the department stated.
This is an ongoing investigation, and police are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying those responsible for the violence.
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.