Crime
At least 1 killed, 5 injured after mass shooting in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS – Police and emergency crews responded to a mass shooting in south Minneapolis that left at least six people wounded, authorities confirmed.
According to initial radio dispatches, officers were called to the area of 29th Street East and Clinton Avenue, where multiple gunshot victims were located.
Police said four of the victims sustained serious injuries, while at least two additional individuals suffered minor wounds.
Some of the victims were found near a nearby McDonald’s restaurant and the CSL Plasma center, investigators noted.
Paramedics treated the injured at the scene before transporting all victims to area hospitals for further care.
Police remain at the scene securing the area and gathering evidence.
The identities of the victims have not been released, and no arrests have been announced at this time.
Authorities have not yet provided information on a possible suspect or motive.
The investigation remains active, and officials are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact Minneapolis police.
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.