‘Unhinged’ Mom Fires Gun, Throws Food in Shocking Sushi Restaurant Meltdown

A chaotic scene unfolded at a suburban St. Louis sushi restaurant when a Missouri mother allegedly fired a gun and threw food at staff after becoming enraged over her order and what she claimed were racial slurs heard through a translation feature on her headphones.

Aaliyah N. Moorehead, 31, was dining Wednesday night at Wasabi Sushi Bar with her 9-year-old child and another adult woman when police say she became upset about a problem with her food order, according to local reports.

Employees offered to fix the order, but authorities say Moorehead grew increasingly agitated, began cursing at a server, and was asked to leave the restaurant.

Instead, police allege, Moorehead hurled a bowl of soup at the employee, striking him and splashing others inside the restaurant. When the worker attempted to shield himself with a chair, Moorehead allegedly grabbed it and threw that as well.

The situation escalated moments later. Investigators say Moorehead then pulled out a 9mm Glock handgun, pointed it toward the employee, and told him, “you’re going to get it,” before firing a single shot just after 8:30 p.m.

At the time, Moorehead’s young daughter was reportedly walking between her mother and the employee.

The bullet missed the intended target, passed through a refrigerator, and struck a wall. No one was physically injured by the gunfire, police said.

After the incident, Moorehead and her companions fled the scene in a white SUV. Restaurant staff provided a description to police, and officers located the vehicle a short time later and detained everyone inside. Security footage from the restaurant helped investigators identify Moorehead as the suspect.

According to a spokesperson for the Kirkwood Police Department, Moorehead later told officers she believed restaurant staff were rude when her party arrived. She also claimed she heard chefs making racial and derogatory remarks about her and her family in Spanish through a translation feature on her AirPods.

Prosecutors were not persuaded by that explanation.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Moorehead with first-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child, and first-degree property damage.

Moorehead is currently being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center on a $150,000 cash-only bond. Her next court appearance has not yet been announced.