Man accused of stabbing Jack in the Box worker over mask rules arrested, Texas cops say
A man accused of attacking a Jack in the Box employee enforcing the restaurant’s face mask rules has been arrested, according to Texas authorities.
James Henry Shulz Jr. was charged Wednesday, months after police say he stabbed a store manager “multiple times” with a pocketknife when he was asked to wear a face mask, which help curb the spread of COVID-19. The incident unfolded March 17 inside a Jack in the Box restaurant in League City, about 30 miles southeast of Houston.
Schulz, 54, was booked on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct.
Schulz reportedly became angry when the manager told him to mask up or use the restaurant’s drive-thru, McClatchy News previously reported. He walked toward the door as if he was leaving, police said, but turned back and tackled the employee before stabbing him.
Several workers intervened to save the manager from Schulz, who fled the restaurant before police arrived. The manager was treated at a hospital for his injuries and later released.
“It’s a very polarizing situation where some folks don’t believe that there should be masks and others do,” League City Police Chief Gary Ratliff told reporters in March. “I would ask that people respect the policies that have been put in place by these local businesses and any businesses around.”
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Schulz shortly after the stabbing, however, they weren’t able to locate him until Wednesday. Public tips led police to a Houston-area sports bar where he was taken into custody, authorities said.
Police said he had been living in a tent in the same area.
League City is about 30 miles southeast of Houston.
This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 2:02 PM.