Man gets 25 years to life for fatal stabbing of stranger at Flushing bar
FLUSHING, Queens — A Queens man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the unprovoked stabbing death of a bar patron in Flushing.
Jason Schuler, 41, was convicted of murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon after a jury found him guilty in February.
Prosecutors said the attack happened on September 24, 2023, when Schuler, who had been drinking, entered a bar and later went to the outdoor patio.
There, he encountered Elliott Christopher Ortiz, a stranger, and without warning pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed him in the face, inflicting a fatal wound that severed his carotid artery.
During the struggle, Ortiz’s friend managed to disarm Schuler, who then fled the scene.
Police later encountered Schuler nearby, where he was seen posing for a photo while covered in the victim’s blood.
Ortiz was transported to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
A Queens Supreme Court judge sentenced Schuler on March 18 following his conviction.
Key Points
- Man sentenced to 25 years to life for fatal stabbing in Flushing
- Victim attacked without provocation at bar patio
- Suspect fled scene before being taken into custody