Chipotle Guacamole Dispute Ends in Gunfire

A dispute over guacamole at a Chipotle location on Friday evening ended with gunfire, leaving one employee injured.

The incident took place at a location for the popular fast-casual Mexican restaurant in Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of around 76,000 situated just to the north of Detroit. According to witnesses who spoke with Fox 2 News, at approximately 6:50 p.m. local time, shouting erupted in the store, purportedly from an argument between a customer and an employee over guacamole, which the chain allows customers to add to dishes for an extra fee.

At some point during the dispute, gunfire broke out, with the customer opening fire and hitting an employee.

“I was just eating a bowl and I heard shouting. And then I looked over, they’re arguing,” witness Thomas Huber told the local news station. “One of the workers went to the back, I don’t know why, and then when he was in the back, the customer walked around the counter, tried to grab his food and put it in a bag. Then the employee came back, and they started fighting, and then we heard a gunshot and just ran out as quick as we could.”

The 21-year-old employee injured in the dispute was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, and was reported by the Southfield Police Department to be in stable condition after sustaining a wound to their leg.

According to witnesses, the suspect, a 31-year-old Detroit man whose identity has not yet been disclosed by local law enforcement, was slightly delayed in fleeing the scene and did not seem to drive off with expediency.

“He took his time getting out…probably 30 seconds after [opening fire],” witness Michael Beals told Fox 2. “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.”

The unnamed suspect was taken into police custody shortly after fleeing the scene. The Chipotle location was closed to the public after police arrived. Further details about the incident, including what specifically prompted the argument about the guacamole and caused it to escalate, have not yet been disclosed.

Newsweek reached out to the Southfield Police Department via email on Saturday evening for comment.

Gunfire nearly broke out at a Philadelphia Chipotle in September of 2021, when a woman brandished a gun after being told that she would need to order her food online. Employees began preparing the food anyway to avoid escalating the situation. Security footage was later scoured to help try and locate the woman after she left.