Crime
17-year-old Willie Ivy killed after shooting at high school party in Fort Wayne
The Allen County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim of a fatal shooting that occurred during a house party in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
17-year-old Willie Venzell Ivy III, a student at North Side High School, was tragically killed in the shooting, which took place in the 4900 block of Manistee Drive on Saturday, October 19th.
The incident unfolded around 10:30 PM when multiple callers reported hearing gunshots and seeing people fleeing the scene. Responding officers discovered one person deceased and several others injured.
The coroner ruled Ivy’s death a homicide, marking the 37th homicide in Allen County for the year.
The names and ages of the ten other injured individuals have not been released, but authorities confirmed that all were in non-life-threatening condition.
North Side High School Principal David West addressed the shooting in a letter to families, expressing condolences for the loss of Ivy, a well-known student at the school. Counseling services will be made available to students and staff who are grieving.
Ivy was a member of the school’s varsity football team, known for wearing jersey number 99.
The shooting remains under investigation, and authorities are working to gather more information regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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.