A 39-year-old security guard has been **charged with murder** after allegedly fatally shooting a homeless man outside an **IHOP restaurant in Center City, Philadelphia**, on **Saturday morning**. Authorities identified the suspect as **Yahaira Melendez**, who was working as a contracted security officer at the time of the shooting.
According to **Philadelphia Police**, the incident occurred around **5:30 a.m.** near the IHOP located on the **1400 block of Walnut Street**. Officers responded to reports of gunfire and found a man, believed to be homeless, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses told investigators that a confrontation had broken out between Melendez and the victim moments before the shooting.Surveillance footage reportedly shows the altercation escalating quickly, with Melendez drawing her firearm and firing a single shot. Investigators said the victim was unarmed and posed no immediate threat at the time he was shot.
Melendez remained on the scene and was taken into custody without incident. Her licensed firearm was recovered by police.Melendez has been charged with **third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and possession of an instrument of crime**. Prosecutors allege she used excessive and unjustified force during a situation that could have been de-escalated.
The shooting has sparked outrage and debate across the city, with advocates for the unhoused community condemning the violence and calling for stronger oversight of private security personnel. “This man’s life mattered,” one local organizer said during a vigil held near the IHOP on Sunday night.
IHOP management released a brief statement expressing condolences to the victim’s family and confirming that Melendez was an independent contractor, not a direct employee. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to confirm the victim’s identity and notify his relatives.
