Crime
Three Men Arrested in Connection with Abduction of 7-Year-Old Jamal White in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE, WI – Milwaukee Police have arrested three men at two separate locations linked to the abduction of 7-year-old Jamal White, who was taken at gunpoint on Friday, July 11, by a masked suspect outside his home on the city’s northwest side.
Jamal was found safe nearly 24 hours later on Saturday evening, July 12, approximately six and a half miles away from where he was abducted.
According to arrest records made public Sunday, the arrests were carried out at both the location where Jamal was found and the home from which he was taken.
One of the suspects, 25-year-old Corey Williams, was arrested at a residence in the 2000 block of North 39th Street, where Jamal was located. Williams was taken into custody at 5:45 p.m. on July 12 and is currently being held for a probation violation, police confirmed.
Additionally, two 27-year-old men were arrested at the home on West Hustis Street, the site of the abduction.
One individual was booked on tentative charges of resisting and obstructing an officer, while the second is being held on a tentative charge of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.
Jamal White Jr.’s uncle, Jamel White — the twin brother of the child’s father — has been arrested and booked in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
According to official records, Jamel White is currently in custody on pending charges.
Authorities have not yet released specific details regarding the nature of the charges or how they may be connected to the abduction case.
Police have not provided further details on the arrests or whether additional suspects are being sought. As of Sunday, formal charges had not been publicly confirmed.
Jamal D. White Sr., the father of 7-year-old Jamal White Jr., took to social media to express frustration over how he has been treated during the investigation.
“Y’all are foul for spreading these false narratives,” White wrote. “Even the police are treating me like I’m the bad guy. All that’s ever mattered to me is my son being okay.”
White said he spent all of Saturday in police custody being questioned, despite fully cooperating and sharing everything he knew at the time.
“I still haven’t even seen my son face-to-face,” he added. “They had me locked up all day while my child was still missing.”
He concluded by affirming his focus remains solely on his son, writing, “I don’t owe anybody anything—only my baby Jamal.”
Jamal was reportedly taken at gunpoint by an unidentified man wearing a black face mask and forced into a white Jeep Renegade outside his home in the 6200 block of West Hustis Street.
The abduction prompted an urgent search that concluded with the boy being found safe near 39th and Lloyd.
“Jamal has been located and is safe,” Milwaukee Police announced in a statement at 6:36 p.m. on July 12. “The Milwaukee Police Department would like to thank everyone for their assistance in this matter.”
The case remains under investigation.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive or the relationship, if any, between the suspects and the child.
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.