NEW YORK CITY — Police said a man stabbed a security guard Friday at the Apple Store in Manhattan during a dispute over wearing a mask, according to multiple reports.
Authorities told WABC-TV that the security guard told the man that he had to wear a mask to enter the store on West 14th Street around 6:30 p.m. Friday. The man refused and stabbed the guard in the stomach and arm and slashed his head, according to WCBS-TV.
Lt. Thomas Antonetti told CNN that the 37-year-old security guard, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital for treatment of wounds that did not appear to be life-threatening. His attacker fled before police arrived, WNBC reported. Antonetti said the man was last seen going into a subway station on 14th Street, according to CNN.
Apple requires customers and employees to wear masks while inside its stores amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In New York City, people who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are required to wear masks inside stores. People who are fully vaccinated must wear masks in stores when required by the store’s owner, according to the New York City Health Department.