Hope that sale was worth it

[Braydon]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081128/ap_on_re_us/wal_mart_death

 

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.

 

 

[pc313]

At a who concert in Detroit 17 poeple were crushed in line and the band played on!1976 or 77?

[Bug]

Who cares.

[pc313]

That was my point!

[Bug]

Sick sarcastic irony was your point?

OK.

[pc313]

Damm,Bug who pissed on your keyboard? I was referring to the fact that poeple keep shopping,they didn't know the guy had died as was the case with the Who BTW were not told about the dead til after the show was over!

[mattp]

I went to see my favorite Seattle rocker, TAD, at the Mural Amphitheatre and somebody threw a roadkill racoon on stage during the first song. Tad said: "Hey man, that's not cool. That is a real racoon." The show was over. Not even one full song.

 

Maybe we're different here in Seattle. But disappointed as I was, I thought well of TAD.

[pc313]

In 77 i seen LED ZEPPELIN for the third time at the King Dome,it was after the WHO DEATH SHOW and they would only march 100 poeple at a time to the door so there was no door rushing,but it still got at of hand inside with fireworks,somebody though a m80 at Jimmy Page and it went off by his hand,they stop the show for 10 or so minutes,Robert Plant told the crowd that it was a silly gig and dumm,for the next 45 minutes it was kool then it was back to people on fire! I was shocked that they played the whole show!

 

I'm from kent and in the 70s have been in riots at big out door parties and S.I.R. Funny car races were poelpe have been killed!

 

Things have changed because of this,and security has got better making it safer for all!