Pittsburgh Barbershop Shooting: Jury Acquits Shooter in 20 Minutes

A woman sat in a barber's chair with a cape draped around her neck, pulled a gun from underneath it, and shot a fellow customer inside a Pittsburgh barbershop, and a year later, it took a jury just 20 minutes to call it self-defense.

That verdict has reopened an unsettling chapter in one of Pittsburgh's most closely watched barbershop stories, pitting a grieving mother's anguish against a defense attorney's insistence that justice was finally done.

What Happened

An Allegheny County jury deliberated for just 20 minutes before acquitting 26-year-old Myairah Carter of criminal homicide in connection with a fatal shooting inside a South Side barbershop, clearing her in the death of 26-year-old Rayon Williams inside Bonez Barbershop on East Carson Street.

The shooting happened in October 2025, and it was caught on camera. Surveillance footage shows Carter sitting in the barber's chair when Williams approached her. The two argue before Carter pulls a gun and shoots Williams.

According to the barbershop's owner, Ramone Paerce, 'Shots rang out. Looking around, I seen the lady wielding the firearm. She still had a cape around her neck.' Police said Carter had gone into the shop and allegedly hid her weapon under the cape while getting her hair done. Investigators said surveillance video shows the two women talking before Carter opened fire, hitting Williams at least twice.

The two women were not strangers. Carter allegedly admitted to police that she had known Williams from an ongoing dispute since 2023. Williams's wife, Andrea, says the two had a number of negative interactions over the years, even moving to avoid trouble.

After the shooting, Carter took off to her home, where she then called authorities and turned herself in.

At trial, Carter's defense never wavered from one argument. 'This is without questions self-defense,' said Ken Harber, Carter's attorney, arguing that under Pennsylvania law a person has the right to use deadly force if they fear being killed, shot or seriously injured. Following a four-day trial, the court reviewed surveillance video and heard testimony about the women's prior disputes, with Carter maintaining she acted to protect herself. The jury returned a not guilty verdict, agreeing the shooting met the standard for legal self-defense.

After the verdict, Harber laid out the defense's theory of what happened in that chair in stark terms, saying Carter 'was in the process of being attacked in a public place while she sat in a barber's chair trying to get her haircut,' and that her 'assailant was lunging towards her while reaching in her waist area for what my client had every reason to believe was a firearm.' He added that 'Myairah Carter sat in a jail cell for over a year on a case that should have never been prosecuted.'

The Family's Side

Williams's family sees none of it the way the defense does. Her mother, Michelle Butler, told reporters bluntly: 'There's no justice.' She went on: 'How do I live? I never really went to court to find justice in the legal system.'

Williams's wife, Andrea, described the moment she learned of the verdict: 'It was a pain that you never think that could happen. I had no words but to cry.'

Both women pushed back on how Williams was portrayed during the trial. Andrea and Michelle believe Rayon was misrepresented in court, saying she was made out to be a violent gangster. Andrea remembered her differently: 'She was a good person; you know what I mean? She had a lot of people who loved her and knew about her.'

Why It Matters

This case lands at the center of one of the thorniest questions in self-defense law: when does fear justify deadly force against someone you already have history with? A jury weighing four days of evidence, including the raw surveillance video itself, took only 20 minutes to side with the shooter, a turnaround fast enough to leave a grieving family publicly questioning whether the system worked at all.

It's also a stark reminder that a barbershop, a place built on trust and routine, offered no protection once a personal conflict walked through the door mid-haircut.

Industry Impact

For barbershop owners, this story is a gut-check on how little control a shop has once a personal dispute between two clients enters the building. Carter is accused of concealing her weapon under the cape while she was getting her hair done, meaning the shop's own protective garment became part of how the confrontation unfolded.

The shop itself tried to distance its brand from the violence in the aftermath. Bonez Barbershop posted on Facebook that it takes pride in providing a welcoming environment and is committed to client safety, adding that the incident doesn't represent its team, shop, or typical clients. A neighboring business owner summed up the mood on the street afterward: 'The gun violence is not necessary. You know we are all trying to make money.'

That's the quiet cost every shop on that block absorbed, closed doors, rattled staff, and a reputation question that had nothing to do with the haircuts themselves.

Lessons for Barbers and Shop Owners

This case didn't start in the chair, it started with a known history between two people who ended up in the same small room. A few practical takeaways for shops:

Know your regulars' conflicts. If staff are aware two clients have bad blood, stagger appointments or have a frank conversation before booking them in the same time slot.

Treat the cape and chair as a vulnerability, not just a tool. A client mid-service is physically restricted and visually obstructed, exactly the position Carter was in when Williams approached her. Train staff to notice when an argument is escalating near a seated, caped client and to intervene or clear the area early.

Lean on your cameras, but also your layout. Surveillance footage was the central piece of evidence in both the prosecution and the acquittal here. Make sure your shop's cameras cover entry points and chairs clearly, and think through sightlines so staff aren't blindsided by someone approaching a client from behind or the side.

Have an exit plan for arguments, not just customers. A documented policy, who calls 911, who clears the shop floor, who de-escalates, turns a chaotic ten seconds into a manageable one. Many local police departments and small-business safety programs offer free workplace de-escalation training; it's worth booking a session for your whole staff.

Understand your state's self-defense standard. Pennsylvania law, cited directly by Carter's attorney, allows deadly force when a person reasonably fears death or serious injury. Shop owners don't need to become lawyers, but knowing the basic standard in your state helps you understand your own liability exposure if violence ever happens on your floor.

Helpful Resources

Barbershop owners looking to build out a real safety protocol should look into local police department community safety liaisons (many offer free on-site consultations), OSHA's general guidance on workplace violence prevention, and conflict de-escalation training offered through small business associations in your city. If your shop doesn't have a written incident-response plan, this case is as good a reason as any to write one this month.

*This story will be updated if new developments emerge in the case.*