Crime
62-Year-Old Albert Sturgill Jr Identified as Victim in Fatal Crossville Shooting
CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Prosecutors confirmed Saturday that charges against a suspect involved in a fatal downtown shooting have been upgraded following the victim’s death.
District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway announced that 42-year-old Eric Brandon Garrison of Crossville is now facing a charge of second-degree murder after the victim, identified as Albert Darrell Sturgill Jr., succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Saturday afternoon. Garrison was originally charged with attempted second-degree murder.
The shooting occurred around 5:45 p.m. Friday, August 22, near North Main Street and Fourth Street, directly across from the Cumberland County Courthouse, during a busy time of day.
According to investigators, the incident began as a confrontation in the roadway and escalated into violence.
Authorities said the shooting was witnessed by numerous bystanders, several of whom captured the incident on cellphone video.
District Attorney Dunaway confirmed that these recordings are now part of the official case evidence.
Garrison remains in custody at the Cumberland County Jail on a $1 million bond.
The investigation is ongoing, led by the Crossville Police Department in coordination with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
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.