“It’s a very polarizing situation,” said Gary Ratliff, League City Police Chief. “Where some people don’t believe there should be masks and others do.”
According to police, 53-year-old James Schulz entered the restaurant without a face mask on Wednesday evening. He was requested to wear one to be served or to use the drive-in.
The customer “belligerently declined,” Ratliff said, accusing the restaurant staff of not wanting to serve him because he was homeless.
Schulz then walked to the door and when the manager turned around, he allegedly ran after the manager, tackled him and stabbed him several times in the arm and torso with what, according to Ratliff, appeared to be a pocket knife.
Several employees ran to the manager’s aid and Schulz fled the restaurant by bicycle. The manager was transported to an area hospital with three stab wounds, treated and released.
The police are still looking for Schulz and describe him as a transient who lives in the area.
Ratliff said people should respect local businesses’ mask policies.
“A lot of these people have gone through some of these events, I don’t know this manager, but have had personal events with loved ones who have passed away and passed away as a result of Covid, as some of our officers have done,” Ratliff said. “All I would like is for people to respect the opinions and policies of these companies.”
“You can refuse to do business in those locations, or whatever you choose to do, but there is no reason to resort to aggressive behavior like this,” he added.