Crime
36-year-old Antoinette Congo fatally shot and set on fire inside a garage in Englewood
CHICAGO — Authorities are investigating a deadly incident in the Englewood neighborhood after a woman was found fatally shot and set on fire inside a garage in the early morning hours of Thursday, September 11, 2025.
The victim has been identified as Antoinette Congo, 36, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Police said Congo suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the back of the head, before her body was set on fire.
The incident occurred in the 6500 block of South Damen Avenue on Chicago’s South Side.
Emergency crews responded to the scene after receiving reports of a fire.
Upon extinguishing the blaze, investigators discovered Congo’s body inside the structure.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
No arrests have been made, and detectives with the Chicago Police Department’s Area One Bureau of Detectives are leading the investigation.
Officials have not released information about possible suspects or a motive at this stage.
Loved ones say Congo leaves behind three young children, a loss that has devastated her family and community.
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.