An employee of a Highland Square laundry was arrested Tuesday afternoon after witnesses said he fired eight gunshots into the air to let off steam after arguing with a customer.
Customers said Gay Gay Moo, 24, fled in a red Dodge Charger after firing the handgun around 11:50 a.m. outside the business in the 700 block of West Market Street. Police located the Charger and pulled it over.
They charged Moo with discharging a firearm in city limits, having a defaced firearm, drug abuse and having drug paraphernalia. The defaced firearm and drug abuse charges are felonies; the other charges are misdemeanors.
The gun used in the incident had its serial number scratched off, police said. Officers reported finding the gun, methamphetamine and items used to smoke meth in the vehicle’s trunk.
Police also recovered eight shell casings at the scene. No one was hurt in the incident.
Following his arrest, Moo admitted that he fired the gun, officers said. Police said they have not confirmed whether Moo used meth before firing.
Lisa Huang, who owns the laundry and several others in Akron, said Moo may have been trying to defend himself when he fired the gun.
“According to my neighbor, the customer told him he was going to a call a guy over to beat him up,” said Huang, who’s operated businesses in Akron for 17 years. “I think he was trying to defend himself.”
She said Moo has worked for her about three years.
“He was no trouble until [Tuesday],” she said.
According to court records, this isn’t the first time Moo has faced felony charges. He was charged with vehicular assault and misdemeanors in a 2013 crash that left someone injured. The case ended in 2014 when Moo pleaded guilty to a reduced felony of having criminal tools. He was sentenced to a year of probation.
On Wednesday morning, the laundry was vacant except for one customer and a few workers.
The customer, Rebecca Eady, said she was shocked to hear about the incident.
“I am really surprised,” she said, adding that she’s been coming to the laundry for about four months. “I’ve never heard of something like this happening here.”
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ.