Crime
Bomb Threat Forces Closure of I-85 in Greenville County, South Carolina
Suspect involved in I-85 bomb threat identified as Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi
UPDATE: Authorities have identified the driver who threatened to have a bomb after being pulled over on I-85 in Greenville, South Carolina on Thursday as Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi.
He is from Oak Lawn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in Cook County.
Jail records show Alhendi has a an ICE detainer, also known as an “immigration hold” from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE lodges immigration detainers after establishing probable cause to believe that a noncitizen is removable — typically after a court has convicted them of one or more crimes — and typically when the noncitizen poses a public safety or national security threat.
Locally, the South Carolina State Translort Police charged Alhendi with the following:
•CONVEY FALSE INFO ABOUT A BOMB THREAT
•OPERATING/PERMITTING UNREGISTERED VEHICLE
•BREACH OF PEACE: HIGH/AGGRAVATED NATURE
On January 2, 2025, at approximately 2:45 p.m., a SC State Transport Police officer initiated a traffic stop on a tractor-trailer on I-85 in Greenville County, due to a missing license plate on the trailer.
During the traffic stop near mile-marker 44, SCHP said the driver, a man from Illinois, indicated that there was an explosive device inside the commercial vehicle.
All six lanes of I-85 were shut down as the threat was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, SLED, and the FBI.
No explosive devices were found and all lanes of I-85 were reopened at approximately 7:40 p.m.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that one individual has been taken into custody after a suspicious package was discovered on Interstate 85 on Thursday afternoon.
The incident caused a significant traffic backup near Exit 44 at White Horse Road in Greenville, prompting officials to block all lanes of I-85 in the area as of 5:25 p.m.
According to Greenville County dispatch, the situation involved a tractor-trailer stopped during a traffic inspection.
The South Carolina State Transport Police (STP) requested assistance after the discovery, and deputies, along with members of the SWAT and Bomb Squad, quickly responded to the scene.
Additional support was provided by the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) bomb squad and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as the investigation intensified.
Officials have urged the public to avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) reported severe traffic congestion as a result of the incident. SCDOT has issued detailed detour instructions for drivers traveling in both directions on I-85:
I-85 Northbound Detour
- Exit at mile marker 40 and turn left onto SC 153.
- Continue on SC 153 (Brown Road) to SC 20 (Piedmont Highway) and turn left.
- Travel on Piedmont Highway to Bracken Road and turn left onto Bracken Road.
- Proceed to US 25 (Augusta Road), turn left, and travel north to SC 291.
- Re-enter I-85 Northbound at mile marker 46.
I-85 Southbound Detour
- Exit at mile marker 46 (SC 291) and turn left onto SC 291.
- Travel south to US 25 (Augusta Road), then turn right onto Bracken Road.
- Follow Bracken Road to SC 20 (Piedmont Highway) and continue to Brown Road (SC 153).
- From SC 153, re-enter I-85 Southbound at mile marker 40.
To ease congestion and expedite traffic flow, SCDOT has temporarily lifted tolls on the Southern Connector toll road.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster acknowledged the incident on social media, urging residents to follow local updates and exercise caution in the affected area.
This is a developing situation, and further updates will be provided as authorities continue their investigation. Travelers are encouraged to plan alternate routes and monitor official channels for the latest information.
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.