Stylists, 1-year-old hit with pepper spray when appointment takes ‘unwanted twist’

A 1-year-old girl and four hair stylists were hit with pepper spray at a hair-braiding appointment that “took an unwanted twist” on North Gammon Road on Sunday, Madison police said.

The salon owner, who operates the business out of his North Gammon Road apartment, told police three women responded to a Craigslist ad for hair braiding. He said he typically asks for payment upfront, but the women said one of their mothers would show up with the payment during the appointment.

According to the release, each woman was supposed to pay between $200 and $260, but almost 10 hours into the session, the salon owner told the women they wouldn’t do any more braids until they were paid.

One of the women’s braids was done, another’s was almost done and staff hadn’t started the third’s hair when they started swearing and being rude to the stylists, police said. That’s when one of the three women hit the stylists and the salon owner’s 1-year-old daughter with pepper spray.

The salon owner and a couple other staff members followed the women out of the apartment building, but they were hit with another dose of pepper spray near the front entrance of the apartment building, according to the release.

The victims were able to provide police with good leads on the women, but police are still investigating.