Crime
Suspect in Deadly York County Police Shooting Identified as 24-year-old Matthew Ruth
NORTH CODORUS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Court documents are shedding new light on events that unfolded just one day before a deadly shooting in York County that left three police officers and the suspected gunman dead, and two additional officers critically wounded.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, police were called to a farm property after a woman reported that a man, dressed in camouflage and carrying binoculars, was seen looking into her home through a window.
The woman told investigators she spotted the man on her driveway through a trail camera system installed on the property.
When an officer responded, the suspect was no longer at the scene.
However, the officer did locate a black 2000 Ford Ranger pickup truck parked along the roadside near a wooded area.
The woman informed police she believed the intruder may have arrived in that vehicle.
The officer then spoke with a mother and daughter who lived at the property.
The daughter revealed that on August 20, her own pickup truck had been set on fire while parked in the driveway. She told investigators she suspected her ex-boyfriend at the time but declined to pursue an investigation.
The mother later provided officers with a still image from the trail camera, showing a man dressed in full camouflage standing behind the daughter’s vehicle.
In the photo, the individual appeared to be looking through a scope-like device pointed at the residence.
The daughter subsequently identified the man in the photo as her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Ruth, clarifying that their relationship had been brief and that he had never been invited to her home.
Investigators reviewing the photo also noted that Ruth had an AR-15 style rifle slung across his chest while observing the residence.
Police launched a search for Ruth that day but were unable to locate him.
Based on the evidence, officers filed the affidavit and sought a warrant for Ruth’s arrest on multiple charges, including stalking, loitering and prowling at night, and criminal trespass.
Authorities have not confirmed whether Ruth was involved in the September 17 shooting that killed three officers and wounded two others.
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.