Layton police use stun gun, arrest 4 during brawl at nail salon over license enforcement

LAYTON, Utah — Four people were arrested at a Utah nail salon after a brawl broke out involving employees, state inspectors and police, forcing an officer to deploy his stun gun to quell the fracas.

Four people were arrested at the Passion Day Spa and Nails in Layton.

The melee occurred after two state licensing investigators went to the salon for an inspection Thursday afternoon. Three salon employees shoved and pushed the investigators, trying to force them out of the salon, said Layton Police Lt. Shawn Horton on Friday. Mall security and Layton police were called and able to calm the situation until a male relative of one salon employee arrived, Horton said.

"That's when everything got out of control," he said.

The man was stopped at the door of the salon. Horton said the man said something to the workers inside by speaking in what officers believe was Vietnamese, which then sparked the struggle with the officers and investigators.

After another scuffle, a police officer then deployed his stun gun to subdue the employees.

Horton said the brawl left one officer and two of the workers with minor injuries.

Another salon worker, 44-year-old Tuyen Thi Ngoc Than, was cited by the licensing inspectors for doing nails without a license.

A family member closed the salon for business Thursday when officers left, Horton said.

On Friday morning, calls to a telephone number listed for the salon were not answered.

The state Commerce Department, which oversees the professional licensing division, issued a statement Friday saying the investigation was a routine inspection and the investigation into the business and employees is ongoing.

Horton said he can't recall Layton Police ever being called during a licensing investigation.