Woman shoots at McDonald’s staff as U.S. tensions rise over lockdown

A woman in Oklahoma opened fire on McDonald’s staff after being told the restaurant’s dining area was closed during the coronavirus pandemic, police said.

It was one of several cases of sometimes deadly violence against employees trying to enforce social distancing rules across the U.S. in recent days, as tensions over such measures escalate.

Four workers at the fast food chain were hospitalized after being injured in the shooting and scuffle on Wednesday night, Oklahoma City police said in a news release.

Last Friday, a store security guard in Michigan was shot dead after he told a customer to wear a face mask.

Three people have been charged in connection with his murder, the local prosecutor said in a press release.

Last Thursday, Texas police arrested a man who allegedly pushed a park ranger into a lake, broadcaster ABC reported.

A video posted to social media shows the park ranger telling people to stand apart before he is shoved into the water.

Meanwhile, the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of a Dallas woman who was serving a seven-day jail sentence for refusing to comply with court orders to shutter her hair salon.

Shelly Luther’s sentence caused uproar, including from the state’s governor and attorney general.

The cases highlight a vocal backlash against measures to stem the spread of the virus, which public health experts say are essential to blunting the outbreak that has killed more than 74,000 people in the U.S.

As many state’s stay-at-home orders stretch past a month, protests have taken place around the country, contending that the economic fallout from the lockdowns outweighs the public heath concerns.

(dpa/NAN)