Security guard charged with murder after Center City IHOP shooting

E MIDDLE EAST. THAT'S COMING UP AT 630, RIGHT AFTER ACTION NEWS AT SIX. >> AN ARREST HAS BEEN MADE IN THE DEADLY SHOOTING THAT TOOK PLACE AT A CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA IHOP OVER THE WEEKEND. POLICE SAY A SECURITY GUARD SHOT A CUSTOMER DURING A DISPUTE. TONIGHT, THAT GUARD IS FACING A MURDER CHARGE. ACTION NEWS REPORTER JOHN PAUL IS LIVE FOR US NOW AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS LOOKING INTO THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. JOHN. >> YES, SHARI. THAT SECURITY GUARD REMAINS IN JAIL TONIGHT. POLICE SAY THAT SHE WAS ESCORTING A MAN OUT OF THAT IHOP AFTER A DISTURBANCE OF SOME KIND. THEY SAY WHILE SHE WAS ESCORTING HIM OUT, THE MAN SPIT ON HER. AND THAT'S WHEN SHE FIRED. TONIGHT, THE SECURITY GUARD WHO SHOT A MAN INSIDE OF THIS IHOP ON WALNUT STREET IN CENTER CITY IS CHARGED WITH MURDER. WE WERE THERE AS POLICE PROCESSED THE SCENE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. OFFICIALS TELL US THE SECURITY GUARD SHOT A MAN AFTER HE SPIT ON HER. ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE MAN, WHO WAS HOMELESS STARTED A DISTURBANCE INSIDE AND AS HE WAS BEING ESCORTED OUT BY 39 YEAR OLD ZAHIRA MELENDEZ, WHO WAS AN ARMED SECURITY GUARD, HE SPIT ON HER. THAT'S WHEN POLICE SAY SHE FIRED HER GUN ONE TIME, HITTING HIM IN THE HEAD. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD A SHORT TIME LATER. TODAY I WENT TO THE RESTAURANT BUT THEY WOULD NOT COMMENT. HOWEVER, PEOPLE WHO WORK NEARBY ARE TALKING. >> THAT'S A LOT. THAT'S A THAT'S A LOT OF ESCALATION FOR SPIT. >> CARR ANDERSON WORKS AT BLACK MARKET NEXT DOOR. HE SAYS THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY AFTER DARK, WHICH IS WHY THEY HAVE THESE SIGNS ON THE DOORS. >> WE SEE WILD THINGS. I MEAN, PEOPLE TRY TO COME IN AND STEAL FROM US AND WE HAVE TO BE AWARE. >> HE SAYS THEY KNOW MANY OF THE SECURITY GUARDS AND POLICE IN THE AREA, BUT HE IS GRAPPLING WITH WHY MELENDEZ FELT THE NEED TO FIRE A GUN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MAN WAS HOMELESS. >> DANG. ESCALATION. WHERE WAS THE ESCALATION? I MEAN, DANG, BECAUSE SECURITY GUARDS DO NEED TO KNOW HOW TO WITH WITHHOLD LIKE RESTRAINT. YOU HAVE TO. >> I TALKED TO FAMILY MEMBERS OF MELENDEZ TODAY. THEY SAY SHE'S A MOTHER OF THREE BOYS AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN TROUBLE. THEY SENT ME A STATEMENT THAT READ IN PART, QUOTE, WE ARE SHOCKED AND DEVASTATED BY THE TRAGIC EVENTS THAT OCCURRED AT THE IHOP WHILE SHE WAS WORKING SECURITY. BUT WE KNOW SHE WOULD NEVER HARM ANYONE UNLESS SHE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE IN ORDER TO PROTECT HERSELF OR OTHERS. NOW, I WAS ALSO IN CONTACT TODAY WITH THE MAN WHO WAS KILLED. THEY ARE WORKING WITH A LAWYER. THEY HAVE NO COMMENT AT THIS POINT. WE DO KNOW THAT DISTRICT ATTORNEY LARRY KRASNER PLANS TO HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE TOMORROW TO RELEASE MORE DETAILS ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. WE'RE LIVE OUTSIDE OF POLICE HEADQUARTERS. JOHN PAUL,