Detroit man charged with shooting Chipotle employee over skimpy guacamole portion

Southfield — A 32-year-old man has been charged with multiple felonies after he allegedly shot a Chipotle restaurant employee in the knee because he was upset the portion of guacamole he'd been served wasn't large enough, police said Monday.

After allegedly shooting the 21-year-old victim Friday in the Chipotle restaurant on Evergreen Road across the street from Southfield Police Headquarters, Aaron Brown calmly picked up his bag of food and strolled away, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said.

Officers pulled over Brown's vehicle and arrested him minutes after the shooting, Barren said. The Detroit resident was arraigned Sunday in Southfield's 46th District Court, and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, discharging a weapon in or at a building causing injury, and two counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Brown was incarcerated in the Oakland County Jail Monday in lieu of $20,000 bond, Barren said. The defendant is scheduled for an April 17 probable cause hearing before 46th District Court Judge Sheila Johnson.

No attorney was listed for Brown, who faces up to 10 years in prison, plus an additional two years for the firearm charge, if convicted.

The victim was listed in stable condition Monday and is expected to recover from his wound, Barren said.

The shooting happened at about 6:50 p.m. after Brown and his wife entered the restaurant and placed an order, Barren said during a Monday press conference at Police Headquarters.

"While standing at the register, Mr. Brown asked for extra guacamole for the food he’d just purchased," Barren said. "A female Chipotle employee who was serving Mr. Brown gave him what he believed was too small of an amount of guacamole, which upset Mr. Brown.

"Mr. Brown then called the female employee a derogatory name — the ‘B’ word — which upset her understandably," the chief said. "Other Chipotle employees escorted the female cashier away from the area to avoid any further conflict."

When the woman's coworkers escorted her to the kitchen, the front counter was left unattended, Barren said.

"Our suspect, Mr. Brown, who previously had paid for his food items, then proceeded to go around the counter and bag his own items, and then he took a cup and filled it with guacamole," Barren said. "The 21-year-old victim walked from the kitchen area and observed Mr. Brown serving himself. The victim knocked the guacamole out of Mr. Brown’s hand. Mr. Brown immediately grabbed the victim by the neck, slammed him into a refrigerator, and then a fight ensued.

"Mr. Brown then pulled out a 9mm handgun, which was concealed on his right hip, and fired one round, striking the victim in his right knee," Barren said. "The occupants inside the Chipotle restaurant began to run for safety and exit the restaurant, while Mr. Brown calmly collected his food and left."

During Monday's press conference, police played surveillance video footage of the shooting and video of the arrest that was captured by an officer's body-worn camera. Brown's wife was briefly handcuffed, although she wasn't charged with a crime, Barren said.

Brown has a permit to carry a concealed weapon and has no prior criminal convictions, the chief said.

"This has gained national attention … and a lot of questions have emerged about why this happened," Barren said. "I would suggest this happened because of poor decision-making and an inability to control emotions. That’s what led to the shooting."

ghunter@detroitnews.com

(313) 222-2134

@GeorgeHunter_DN