OT: Wal-Mart Worker Dies After Shoppers Knock Him Down

[DrFU]

Wal-Mart worker dies after shoppers knock him down

By COLLEEN LONG
The Associated Press
Friday, November 28, 2008; 5:17 PM

NEW YORK -- A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday when "out-of-control" shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale. Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

At least four other people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals for observation or minor injuries, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island closed for several hours before reopening.

Shoppers stepped over the man on the ground and streamed into the store. When told to leave, they complained that they had been in line since Thursday morning.

Nassau police said about 2,000 people were gathered outside the store doors at the mall about 20 miles east of Manhattan. The impatient crowd knocked the man, identified by police as Jdimytai Damour of Queens, to the ground as he opened the doors, leaving a metal portion of the frame crumpled like an accordion.

"This crowd was out of control," said Nassau police spokesman Lt. Michael Fleming. He described the scene as "utter chaos."

Dozens of store employees trying to fight their way out to help Damour were also getting trampled by the crowd, Fleming said.

Items on sale at the store included a Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV for $798, a Bissel Compact Upright Vacuum for $28, a Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera for $69 and DVDs such as "The Incredible Hulk" for $9.


Damour, 34, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 6 a.m., police said. The exact cause of death has not been determined.

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.

Police said criminal charges were possible in the case, but Fleming said it would be difficult to identify individual shoppers. Authorities were reviewing surveillance video.

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.

"The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority," said Dan Fogleman, a company spokesman. "At this point, facts are still being assembled and we are working closely with the Nassau County Police as they investigate what occurred."

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."

Shoppers around the country line up early outside stores on the day after Thanksgiving in the annual bargain-hunting ritual known as Black Friday. It got that name because it has historically been the day when stores broke into profitability for the full year.

___

[KenTheDude]

Wal-Mart worker dies after shoppers knock him down

By COLLEEN LONG
The Associated Press
Friday, November 28, 2008; 5:17 PM

NEW YORK -- A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday when "out-of-control" shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale. Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

At least four other people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals for observation or minor injuries, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island closed for several hours before reopening.

Shoppers stepped over the man on the ground and streamed into the store. When told to leave, they complained that they had been in line since Thursday morning.

Nassau police said about 2,000 people were gathered outside the store doors at the mall about 20 miles east of Manhattan. The impatient crowd knocked the man, identified by police as Jdimytai Damour of Queens, to the ground as he opened the doors, leaving a metal portion of the frame crumpled like an accordion.

"This crowd was out of control," said Nassau police spokesman Lt. Michael Fleming. He described the scene as "utter chaos."

Dozens of store employees trying to fight their way out to help Damour were also getting trampled by the crowd, Fleming said.

Items on sale at the store included a Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV for $798, a Bissel Compact Upright Vacuum for $28, a Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera for $69 and DVDs such as "The Incredible Hulk" for $9.


Damour, 34, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 6 a.m., police said. The exact cause of death has not been determined.

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.

Police said criminal charges were possible in the case, but Fleming said it would be difficult to identify individual shoppers. Authorities were reviewing surveillance video.

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.

"The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority," said Dan Fogleman, a company spokesman. "At this point, facts are still being assembled and we are working closely with the Nassau County Police as they investigate what occurred."

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."

Shoppers around the country line up early outside stores on the day after Thanksgiving in the annual bargain-hunting ritual known as Black Friday. It got that name because it has historically been the day when stores broke into profitability for the full year.

___

I hear virtually this exact same story every year at this time. Utter chaos is right.

[wastingbeerz]

Black Friday is a fucking abomination of this country, one of the worst and completely stupid traditions we have. Purposely causing chaos? Yeah, real good idea. That's why I do almost all my shopping online anymore.

[Saint John]

Saw this first thing this morning. They should arm Walmart workers with automatic rifles and allow them to shoot anyone that even walks at a fucking brisk pace. What a way to completely destroy some family's holidays...over a fucking TV or some other bullshit. You have to have a fucking hole in your head to be one of these gotta be there when the store opens "Black Friday" shopping assholes.

[Don]

Since no school today my son got the early shift at BestBuy. Him and four others that are all over 6 ft. and built went outside as bouncers. Line cutters got their pictures taken and denied access if they didn't go to the back of the line. When the doors opened the shoppers along the wall tried to rush as a group instead of staying in line, My boy and his coworkers blockaded the door and made them stay in a straight line on entry or no one was coming in, totally crazy.

[JRNYFan]

All for a TV or a computer...

Bunch of animals

[wastingbeerz]

All for a TV or a computer...

Bunch of animals

Bunch of animals is damn right... and anyone notice its almost always walmart where this shit goes down every year? I hate going to walmart on a normal saturday because of the insanity that already exists... never even dared to go within 500 ft of one on a black friday.

[artist4perry]

Selfishness at its finiest. All for a TV is right. Poor me, I have to stop shopping because my actions caused a man to die. I do not nor will I shop on Black Friday. I hate aggressive shoppers and I avoid them. It was nice just to stay at home today, and chat with you guys. Much more civil. Well, sometimes! LOL!

[StevePerryHair]

It is crazy. A couple of teenagers were camping out at our best buy since Wed evening. They were only about 15 or 16. Their mom's were going to bring them Thankgiving dinner out there and they had no idea what they were even waiting in line for because the ad wasn't even out yet. It's ridiculous really.

[Enigma869]

Just one more example that people are fucking idiots! I'll never even understand why dopes stand in line all night long to bust into a Wal-Mart. Sign the fuck on to your computer and get the same item without having to be trampled or without having being a witness to negligent homocide

[Babyblue]

Selfishness at its finiest. All for a TV is right. Poor me, I have to stop shopping because my actions caused a man to die. I do not nor will I shop on Black Friday. I hate aggressive shoppers and I avoid them. It was nice just to stay at home today, and chat with you guys. Much more civil. Well, sometimes! LOL!

That is sad that poor man lost his life to those assholes.You are so right i have been in the house all day.There crazy out there.

[RumTumJM]

I heard about this from my father, since it occurred about 30 minutes from my house. I did not realize til it hit my usual rock message boards how big the story had gotten.

Boy is that horrible! A shopping experience turns into a fight to save ones life. Sucks to be those workers who have the annoyance of getting up for work the morning after Thanksgiving, only to get abused for it!

On a happier note, since Thanksgiving is over...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[annpea]

[

quote="artist4perry"]Selfishness at its finiest. All for a TV is right. Poor me, I have to stop shopping because my actions caused a man to die. I do not nor will I shop on Black Friday. I hate aggressive shoppers and I avoid them. It was nice just to stay at home today, and chat with you guys. Much more civil. Well, sometimes! LOL!

[/quote] I'm so glad to see someone who thinks the same thing about this Black Friday foolishness; I feel awful for the family of that poor man. You are so right about most of this kind of crap happening at Wally World; they create this mess by short stocking then lowering prices which causes a feeding frenzy among customers trying to be the first to get one of the Five tv,s on display.

[Saint John]

These stores need to get with the times. You have to set up some sort of random lottery. Give everyone a number when they get there and then pull 20-30 numbers at a time. Your number gets called and then you go in. When someone comes out, someone else goes in. This isn't fucking rocket science. And I'd be all for legislation that allows people that camp out at Walmarts or any other giant retailer to be attacked by fucking pit bulls. What a bunch of dopes.

[Rhiannon]

OMG... how tragic. I hated working Black Friday when I was in retail... these people are vicious. Today is the first time in my life I've ever gone to the mall (unless I was working there) the day after Thanksgiving. And I only went because I was bribed into it and it was after all the big sales were over and the crowd was gone. That's just insane... and they complained about having to leave because someone died?!? Those people should sleep well tonight.

[separate_wayz]

All for a TV or a computer...

Bunch of animals

What kind of t.v. was it???

[Rip Rokken]

NEW YORK -- A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday when "out-of-control" shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale. Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

I hear virtually this exact same story every year at this time. Utter chaos is right.

Same here, and I usually ask employees about it. A lady in Wal Mart last year said that some people were holding on to posts in the floor to avoid getting trampled. At least Best Buy issues "tickets" for items to people who stand out all night, so it helps control the crowd. "Black Friday" tends to bring out the worst in people, and I think it would be cool if riot control police with helmets, plexiglass shields and tear gas could be on hand to treat them like they deserve when they get out of hand like this. Very sorry to hear any store worker would lose their life during something like this.

I figured out a while back that there is no possible sale any of these stores could have that would be worth my time to camp out in front of any store. But today, I did get up and going earlier than I ever have. I got to Best Buy at about 5:45, with plenty of time to get what I did want, and I could have gotten there an hour later and avoided the line I stood in by Electronics to check out. Once I tackled that purchase, I went back in and picked up several other things, and the line at the front of the store was huge -- I just walked back to Electronics again where they had 2 cashiers, and got taken care of immediately.

[JH'sTXfan]

Same here, and I usually ask employees about it. A lady in Wal Mart last year said that some people were holding on to posts in the floor to avoid getting trampled. At least Best Buy issues "tickets" for items to people who stand out all night, so it helps control the crowd. "Black Friday" tends to bring out the worst in people, and I think it would be cool if riot control police with helmets, plexiglass shields and tear gas could be on hand to treat them like they deserve when they get out of hand like this. Very sorry to hear any store worker would lose their life during something like this.

I would love to sign up for that job.

[artist4perry]

Maybe some angry nuns with rulers.........

[Rip Rokken]

Same here, and I usually ask employees about it. A lady in Wal Mart last year said that some people were holding on to posts in the floor to avoid getting trampled. At least Best Buy issues "tickets" for items to people who stand out all night, so it helps control the crowd. "Black Friday" tends to bring out the worst in people, and I think it would be cool if riot control police with helmets, plexiglass shields and tear gas could be on hand to treat them like they deserve when they get out of hand like this. Very sorry to hear any store worker would lose their life during something like this.

I would love to sign up for that job.

I've always had very little patience for crowds, and will do just about anything to avoid being a part of one (I'm normally the same about long lines, too... haha! I'd rather pay someone else to stand in line for me). When crowds get angry, their IQ tends to sync with the lowest-commmon denominator, and they are basically like animals with just enough human reasoning power to make bad choices. Why in hell would any group of people set fire to things and overturn cars just because their team lost a game?

[artist4perry]

Same here, and I usually ask employees about it. A lady in Wal Mart last year said that some people were holding on to posts in the floor to avoid getting trampled. At least Best Buy issues "tickets" for items to people who stand out all night, so it helps control the crowd. "Black Friday" tends to bring out the worst in people, and I think it would be cool if riot control police with helmets, plexiglass shields and tear gas could be on hand to treat them like they deserve when they get out of hand like this. Very sorry to hear any store worker would lose their life during something like this.

I would love to sign up for that job.

I've always had very little patience for crowds, and will do just about anything to avoid being a part of one (I'm normally the same about long lines, too... haha! I'd rather pay someone else to stand in line for me). When crowds get angry, their IQ tends to sync with the lowest-commmon denominator, and they are basically like animals with just enough human reasoning power to make bad choices. Why in hell would any group of people set fire to things and overturn cars just because their team lost a game?

What confuses me more is when they do that and their team.......WINS! There are a growing group of people in this world with no moral compass. That is the problem. They are self searving, and evil minded.

[JH'sTXfan]

Same here, and I usually ask employees about it. A lady in Wal Mart last year said that some people were holding on to posts in the floor to avoid getting trampled. At least Best Buy issues "tickets" for items to people who stand out all night, so it helps control the crowd. "Black Friday" tends to bring out the worst in people, and I think it would be cool if riot control police with helmets, plexiglass shields and tear gas could be on hand to treat them like they deserve when they get out of hand like this. Very sorry to hear any store worker would lose their life during something like this.

I would love to sign up for that job.

I've always had very little patience for crowds, and will do just about anything to avoid being a part of one (I'm normally the same about long lines, too... haha! I'd rather pay someone else to stand in line for me). When crowds get angry, their IQ tends to sync with the lowest-commmon denominator, and they are basically like animals with just enough human reasoning power to make bad choices. Why in hell would any group of people set fire to things and overturn cars just because their team lost a game?

My lack of patience makes me want to lob tear gas at them and crack a few skulls.

[ttango1]

The best deals are still on the internet.

[Voyager]

I am sure they were rushing to get a copy of Revelation when they stampeded the doors.

[Don]

I am sure they were rushing to get a copy of Revelation when they stampeded the doors.

Do they even sell it anymore? Without any Sopranos type hype or stateside tour, Revelation has dropped into the Rock and Roll abyss.

Maybe they can get Perry to remaster it.

[Voyager]

I am sure they were rushing to get a copy of Revelation when they stampeded the doors.

Do they even sell it anymore? Without any Sopranos type hype or stateside tour, Revelation has dropped into the Rock and Roll abyss.

Maybe they can get Perry to remaster it.

Ahahaha... with his vocals overdubbing Arnel's. LOL!

[Don]

I am sure they were rushing to get a copy of Revelation when they stampeded the doors.

Do they even sell it anymore? Without any Sopranos type hype or stateside tour, Revelation has dropped into the Rock and Roll abyss.

Maybe they can get Perry to remaster it.

Ahahaha... with his vocals overdubbing Arnel's. LOL!

Good idea..no, wait...GREAT IDEA!

[ebake02]

The cops should have locked down the store and arrested everybody. Maybe a a little over the top but that's the only way idiots like this understand.

[Red13JoePa]

"out-of-control" shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale.

Unreal.
Just incredible.

What is it w/ this subculture of people who do the queueing up @4:30 AM at the store on Black Friday?

[DrFU]

"out-of-control" shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale.

Unreal.
Just incredible.

What is it w/ this subculture of people who do the queueing up @4:30 AM at the store on Black Friday?

From addictionsweb:

"Addictive shopping is a form of behaviour addiction intended to avoid unpleasant reality and is accompanied by a high which causes the sufferer to lose control and buy many items for which they have no need.

The adrenaline rush, the fantasy which surrounds the episode and everything which precedes the actual spending spree all add to the sense of unreality which brings a false sense of freedom from life's problems. The compulsive shopper experiences all the general symptoms associated with addiction. . . . Compulsive shoppers believe that shopping will make them feel better.

They often shop when they feel lonely, bored, depressed or angry. Shopping stops for a while their suffering. While they are spending they experience the kind of euphoria that is similar to the 'high' induced by drugs."



The bigger the bargain, the more intense the "high." Some of the Black Friday advertised "deals" are so unreal, it would be a rush like bringing a woolly mammoth down with a slingshot. That's the theory, anyway.

Add crowd dynamics, and you get disaster.