Crime
Active shooter alert reported at Lamar University in Beaumont
UPDATE: Lamar University police have detained a suspect following an active shooter alert issued on campus at approximately 12:30 PM on Monday.
An active shooter situation has been reported at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
Students are currently under lockdown, and images shared on social media depict the chaotic scene. It’s unclear if one of the images shows the actual shooter.
The identities of the students who posted these images remain anonymous.
The alert from Lamar University details a suspicious individual on campus. According to the message, a female suspect carrying a possible black handgun was last seen walking from Gentry Hall toward the Dining Hall at 12:15 p.m. She was described as wearing an army green long-sleeve jacket, light blue jeans, a utility belt with a canteen, and black boots.
Police ask public to please stay out of the area.
This is a developing story that will be updated when more information is available.
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.