The Dark Side of "Black Friday"

[Richard B the EMT]

As reported on local news radio and TV reports, with this wording from AOL News. We in the US call the Friday after Thanksgiving Holiday "Black Friday" as most retail stores sell so much stuff on this one day, as to take them out of the financially troubling "red" into the profitable "black".

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Wal-Mart Worker Trampled to Death

By COLLEEN LONG, AP

NEW YORK (Nov. 28) - A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday after an "out of control" throng of shoppers eager for post-Thanksgiving bargains broke down the doors at a suburban store and knocked him to the ground, police said.

At least four other people, including a woman eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals for observation or minor injuries, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island was closed for several hours. It reopened shortly after 1 p.m.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a "tragic situation" and said the employee came from a temporary agency and was doing maintenance work at the store.

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Richard B, again.

According to the Nassau County (Long Island, New York) PD, in whose 5th Precinct the incident happened, several of their LEOs who attempted to aid the trampled down man were themselves almost trampled.

They are also reviewing the store's security tapes, and are talking about pressing charges, minimally, "Criminal Trespass", as the blitzkrieg shoppers were in the store before it actually opened, after breaking down a gated metal door to gain access.

I usually joke about early shoppers who go to holiday early openings as being "Door Busters", as so named by the stores themselves for the sales. These idiots took the name to heart.

I am now in disagreement with my momma B, who said to me "Just to get the people to stop, they should have fired their sidearms into the ceiling to get their attention". I disagree, positing that had the LEOs fired their weapons, there would have been a stampede away from the guns, causing a pileup where those running from the weapons would collide with others still trying to access their way into the store.

Would any of our city members who are themselves LEOs care to comment on mom and my disagreement, and any other commentary from anyone on this incident?

[itku2er]

That is why I gave my friends the money and the list to shop for me..... See I am one smart cookie :wink: :wink: :wink:

[Richard B the EMT]

As for me, I am, except for clothing that needs to fit, going to do all future shopping online!

[Chief1C]

Gift cards.. You can buy in August.. and can't go wrong.

[Don1977]

Thats uncalled for! I heard people get into fist fights over stuff here before in the aisles of Walmart.

I have only worked once during black friday, wasn't too busy, that was the morning I came home and an hour later we had an apartment building fire, now a lovely empty lot, it was a person shopping and there faulty lamp burned building down.

[VentMedic]

Even though I learned from some of the best NYC and Long Island shoppers, I did not step on or over anyone. I made sure they were knocked clear of the door as I entered.

Seriously, this is humans acting at their worst.

[cynical_as_hell]

A 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital, where she and the baby were reported to be OK, said police Sgt. Anthony Repalone.

Kimberly Cribbs, who witnessed the stampede, said shoppers were acting like "savages."

"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling `I've been on line since yesterday morning,'" she said. "They kept shopping."

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a "tragic situation" and said the employee came from a temporary agency and was doing maintenance work at the store. It said it tried to prepare for the crowd by adding staffers and outside security workers, putting up barricades and consulting police.

This is taken from a different article, but same topic. What I find most discouraging is that "When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling `I've been on line since yesterday morning,'" she said. "They kept shopping."

Since when did shopping become more important than a life??? :?

[Michael]

Since when did shopping become more important than a life??? :?

Dwayne said it was easy to change his handle from EMTB to EMTP to reflect his upgrade. All he did was ask Admin. :wink:

[Richard B the EMT]

I was just looking at some stuff on Youtube, and found a Phil Ochs song that kind of describes the situation of those asked to leave complaining of how long they had been waiting to get in. The song is "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends".

Listen to the words, and see if you agree with me.

[Lone Star]

There are two days a year that you won't catch me ANYWHERE near a retail store:

"Black Friday"

The day after Christmas

I've heard horror stories, seen news reports and all the jokes about granny hip checking people into the shelves just to get a 'Tickle Me Elmo'. You couldn't pay me enough to venture near a retail store on those days!

It's deplorable that human beings have to act in such a reckless fashion! I hope that in the above referenced article, that the charges against those that were instrumental in breaking into the store, and trampling the worker would include reckless homicide, murder or some other 'serious charge'. MAYBE then, people will learn that this type of behavior is not to be condoned!