A Detroit man made an alarming decision to open fire inside a Chipotle restaurant over the serving size of guacamole, wounding an employee in the process, officials said. Aaron Brown, 32, is accused of shooting a 21-year-old staff member after a brief altercation that began with what he perceived to be too little of the condiment added to his order, as reported by The Detroit News.
The incident occurred at a Southfield location on Evergreen Road. After Brown and his wife entered the Chipotle and placed their order, he requested an extra portion of guacamole. Unhappy with the amount given, Brown called the female employee serving him a derogatory name, setting off the subsequent events which led to Brown to seemingly calmly walk out with his bag of food post shooting, the Southfield Police Department described. According to the FOX 2 Detroit report, the entire escalation was prompted when a worker knocked the guacamole from Brown’s hand after he had gone behind the counter.
Chief Elvin Barren emphasized the reaction as a result of “poor decision-making and an inability to control emotions,” adding that Brown, who had a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon and no prior convictions, was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, discharging a weapon in or at a building, and two counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Footage of both the incident and arrest, captured by surveillance and an officer's body cam, was shared by police. A customer, Michael Beals, who recorded the confrontation said, “He took his time getting out… probably 30 seconds after [the shot was fired]. I was in my car and I saw him just walk out to his car, close the door, and just drive off - he didn’t speed off or anything, it was weird to see,” in a statement obtained by hoodline. Officers stopped and arrested Brown shortly after he left the scene.
Meanwhile, the injured employee was taken to a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, as confirmed by Southfield police and relayed by FOX 2 Detroit. Witnesses spoke of the swift shift from a casual mealtime to a scene of violence. “I was just eating a bowl and I heard shouting. And then I looked over, they're arguing,” bystander Thomas Huber. After the gunfire, the restaurant was quickly evacuated, leaving the community to grapple with the stunning display of aggression over something as seemingly inconsequential as guacamole. Brown is currently held at the Oakland County Jail on a $20,000 bond, awaiting his hearing scheduled on April 17 before Judge Sheila Johnson.
