Black Friday Claims Death at Wal-Mart
Worked Trampled As Crowds Rush Door Buster Sale
By Jack Neff
Published: November 28, 2008
BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com)-A crowd of bargain seekers apparently killed a temporary worker at a Wal-Mart store in suburban New York when people literally broke down the door to get at "door buster" specials inside the store.
The New York Daily News reported that witnesses said shoppers continued to stream past emergency crews as they worked furiously to save the 34-year-old worker's life, before the Valley Stream, N.Y., store was closed.
A statement by Nassau County Police said the incident occurred shortly after the store's 5 a.m. opening time, when shoppers "physically broke down the doors, knocking [the worker] to the ground."
As many as six other people, including a pregnant woman, also suffered minor injuries in the incident, according to reports.
"We're saddened to report that a gentleman who was working for a temporary agency on our behalf died following the incident and a few of our customers were injured," a Wal-Mart spokeswoman said, reading from a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this difficult time. At this point, facts are still being assembled, and we're working closely with Nassau County Police as they investigate what occurred.
"The safety and security of our employees is our top priority," the spokeswoman said. She declined to comment further because the investigation is ongoing.
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4 comments:
I just couldn't believe this one.
1) It's Wal-Mart, people. The deal couldn't have been that great that you didn't notice stampeding over another human being.
2)The statement from Wal-Mart seemed really lax, kinda like "Oh well, these things happen all the time..."
3)I hope this guy's family throws a wrongful death suit or something at Wal-Mart or something.
Black Friday is so pathetic, as is Boxing Day up here. Everybody puts 5 items on sale really cheap and calls it a door crasher, marks everything else down a token percentage, then makes it seem like it's the greatest sale ever.
Which reminds me... last year my wife and I walked into Best Buy at like 7pm and were wandering around and noticed this 27" Samsung TV that had been advertised as a half price limited quantity door crasher. There were 3 sitting on a skid. We asked someone and they said, "We got another shipment this afternoon" (Impressive supply chain.)We bought one then laughed about how pissed off people that stood outside overnight must have been to not get one and yet we walk in and buy one by sheer coincidence.
Moral of the story: Boxing Day sales are bullshit and most consumers fall for it.
I was reading that the employee that was trampled was 6'5" and 270lbs. That's a big guy to get trampled! Evidently the crowd also wrecked the doors forcing themselves in.
Witness Kimberly Cribbs said shoppers acted like "savages."
"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, 'I've been in line since Friday morning!'" Cribbs said. "They kept shopping."
All that for a couple of deals that only the first few people would even have a chance of getting. Pathetic!
I hate people sometimes. I really do.
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