On the evening of Saturday, April 18, 2026, a fatal encounter unfolded in the parking lot of a Glen Burnie, Maryland, restaurant that resulted in the death of Michael Joseph Hayes, a 27-year-old male. The incident occurred around 9:15 p.m. in the 7700 block of Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, outside of Hilltop Carryout Pizza and Subs. Police and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scene for a reported shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Hayes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were initiated at the scene before he was rushed to a local trauma center, where he was ultimately pronounced deceased.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Hayes had been at the restaurant earlier in the evening and had been involved in a disturbance.
The owner of the establishment, Ioannis Georgios Giorgakis, a 32-year-old resident of Baltimore, had reportedly called 911 on two separate occasions prior to the shooting to report that Hayes was causing a disruption inside his business. Hayes left the premises after the earlier incidents but returned later that night, leading to a physical altercation with Giorgakis in the parking lot. It was during this confrontation that Giorgakis allegedly produced a firearm and shot Hayes multiple times.
Following the shooting, Giorgakis remained at the scene and was taken into custody by Anne Arundel County Police. He was subsequently arrested and has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and the use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime. During a bail review hearing on April 20, 2026, Giorgakis's defense attorney argued that his client acted in self-defense, stating that Hayes had threatened him and that Giorgakis feared for his life and the safety of his employees. Despite these claims, the judge ordered that Giorgakis be held without bond. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting remains ongoing, and authorities have encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
