A woman was angry about a $15 nail repair. Then police say she returned with a gun: ‘I wanted to scare them’

A dispute over a $15 nail repair allegedly escalated into a shooting at an Arizona nail salon after a woman argued with an employee about the charge. According to Law&Crime, Essence Mire, 26, is accused of returning to Element Nail Bar near 16th Street and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix with a firearm after the confrontation.

Police say Mire became upset over the cost of repairing a broken fingernail and allegedly punched an employee in the face during the dispute. She then left the salon before allegedly returning with a gun, turning an argument over a service charge into an armed confrontation inside a business while employees and customers were still inside.

Mire is accused of firing one shot at the business while 18 people were inside. The bullet struck and shattered the front glass door, prompting customers and employees to either run through the back exit or hide inside the salon, while several people recorded the incident on their cellphones.

Police say she wanted to scare the workers

Mire fled the salon after the shooting and was later arrested at her home in Maricopa County near Interstate 17 and Northern Avenue. Investigators say she admitted to punching the employee and shooting at the business after police located her.

Police say Mire told investigators she wanted to frighten the salon workers into fixing her nail without charging her. Mire allegedly told investigators, “I wanted to scare them,” rather than hurt anyone.

The bullet that shattered the salon’s front door did not strike anyone inside, but the gunfire forced people to find cover or flee the building, showing how quickly a dispute involving a firearm can escalate. The salon’s manager said everyone inside was safe after the shooting. The business remained open following the incident, while management directed further questions about what happened to the owner.

Mire faces charges of aggravated assault, assault, discharging a firearm at a nonresidence and discharging a firearm within city limits. She was being held on a $100,000 bond.