LEAGUE CITY, Texas — A man stabbed a Jack in the Box manager three times on Wednesday after he was asked to wear a face mask, investigators said.
League City police said James Henry Schulz, 53, walked into the restaurant around 8 p.m. without a mask on and was told he needed to wear one or use the drive-thru, KTRK reported.
“(Schulz) belligerently refused and said they did not want to serve him because he was homeless and began yelling that he would be contacting his attorney as he was filming with his cellphone,” League City police Chief Gary Ratliff said during a Thursday news conference.
League City Police Chief Gary Ratliff gives update on the search for the suspect in the Jack in the Box stabbingUPDATE: Arrest Warrant Issued for Suspect League City Police Department detectives have identified a suspect in the stabbing of a Jack in the Box manager. Officers are actively searching for James Schulz (8/8/67) who is believed to be a transient. An arrest warrant has been issued for Schulz, who is suspected of stabbing the manager at the Jack in the Box restaurant located at 1503 W. League City Parkway on Wednesday, March 17. The incident began when the suspect refused to cooperate with a store policy to wear a face mask. After confronting employees, the suspect attacked the restaurant manager with what appeared to be a pocketknife. The manager was stabbed three times in the arm and upper torso. Employees intervened to defend their coworker and then the suspect fled the scene. Officers searched the area around the scene with a K9 unit. The suspect was not located however, several pieces of evidence were recovered. Officers believe the recovered property was discarded by the suspect as he fled the area on a bicycle. The injured employee was transported to a nearby hospital and was treated and released. If you have any information, please call 281-332-2566
Posted by League City Police Department on Thursday, March 18, 2021
Store surveillance video shows the manager showing Schulz the store’s written policy and escorting him from the restaurant. Moments after the manager turns his back and returns to the restaurant, Schulz runs after him and attacks him with a pocketknife, KTRK reported.
The manager was taken to a hospital with injuries to his arm and torso. He was treated and released.
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“Due to privacy issues and the current police investigation, we are unable to discuss details at this time,” Jack in the Box told KTRK. “We have a temporary brand standard that requires our franchisees to require their employees and guests to wear masks.”
Schulz fled the area on a bicycle with a yellow flag. The bicycle was later found abandoned. An arrest warrant was issued for Schulz who is still on the loose.
HELP LCPD IDENTIFY SUSPECT On Wednesday, March 17 at approximately 8:10 p.m., League City Officers responded to an...
Posted by League City Police Department on Thursday, March 18, 2021
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the state’s mask mandate earlier this month. Businesses still can enforce their own mask policies.
“It’s a very polarizing situation where some folks don’t believe that there should be masks and others do,” Ratliff said. “A lot of these people have had some of these events. I don’t know this manager but have had personal events with loved ones that have died and passed away as a result of COVID, as some of our officers have. All I would ask is that people respect the opinions and the policies of these businesses. You can refuse to do business at those locations or whatever it is you choose to do, but there’s no reason to resort to aggressive behavior like this.”
Cox Media Group
