ATTENTION WAL-MART SHOPPERS: Black mark on Black Friday™

Talk about a shopping stampede!

Quote:

A Wal-Mart worker died early Friday after an "out-of-control" mob of frenzied shoppers smashed through the Long Island store's front doors and trampled him, police said.
The Black Friday stampede plunged the Valley Stream outlet into chaos, knocking several employees to the ground and sending others scurrying atop vending machines to avoid the horde.
When the madness ended, 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour was dead and four shoppers, including a woman eight months pregnant, were injured.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: WAL-MART CROWD MOMENTS BEFORE DEADLY STAMPEDE

"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," said Wal-Mart worker Jimmy Overby, 43.
"They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me.
"They took me down, too ... I didn't know if I was going to live through it. I literally had to fight people off my back," Overby said.
Damour, a temporary maintenance worker from Jamaica, Queens, was gasping for air as shoppers continued to surge into the store after its 5 a.m. opening, witnesses said.
Even officers who arrived to perform CPR on the trampled worker were stepped on by wild-eyed shoppers streaming inside, a cop at the scene said.
"They pushed him down and walked all over him," Damour's sobbing sister, Danielle, 41, said. "How could these people do that?
"He was such a young man with a good heart, full of life. He didn't deserve that."
Damour's sister said doctors told the family he died of a heart attack.
His cousin, Ernst Damour, called the circumstances "completely unacceptable."
"His body was a stepping bag with so much disregard for human life," Ernst Damour, 37, said. "There has to be some accountability."
Roughly 2,000 people gathered outside the Wal-Mart's doors in the predawn darkness.
Chanting "push the doors in," the crowd pressed against the glass as the clock ticked down to the 5 a.m. opening.
Sensing catastrophe, nervous employees formed a human chain inside the entrance to slow down the mass of shoppers.
It didn't work.
The mob barreled in and overwhelmed workers.
"They were jumping over the barricades and breaking down the door," said Pat Alexander, 53, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. "Everyone was screaming. You just had to keep walking on your toes to keep from falling over."
After the throng toppled Damour, his fellow employees had to fight through the crowd to help him, police said.
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 on line since Friday morning!'" Cribbs said. "They kept shopping."
When paramedics arrived, Damour's condition was grave.
"They were pumping his chest, trying to bring him back, and there was nothing," said Dennis Smokes, 36, a Wal-Mart worker.
Damour was taken to Franklin Hospital and pronounced dead at 6:03 a.m.
Hank Mullany, president of Wal-Mart's northeast division, said the company took extraordinary safety precautions.
"We expected a large crowd this morning and added additional internal security, additional third-party security, additional store associates and we worked closely with the Nassau County police," he said in a statement.
"We also erected barricades. Despite all of our precautions, this unfortunate event occurred."
The 28-year-old pregnant woman and three other shoppers were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, police said.
In a news conference after the incident, Nassau County police spokesman Lt. Michael Fleming described the crowd as "out of control" and the scene as "utter chaos." He said Wal-Mart did not have enough security onhand.
Fleming said criminal charges were possible but that it would be difficult to identify individual shoppers in surveillance videos.
Items on sale at the Wal-Mart store included a $798 Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV, a Bissel Compact Upright Vacuum for $28 and Men's Wrangler Tough Jeans for $8.
The Long Island store reopened at 1 p.m. and was packed within minutes.
"I look at these people's faces and I keep thinking one of them could have stepped on him," said one employee. "How could you take a man's life to save $20 on a TV?"

Now you people know why I avoid Black Friday altogether. I'm not really afraid of dying so much as I'm afraid of being remembered as "that guy who got trampled by a herd of inbreds and mountebanks".

So who's at fault here? The DEAD RISING proportions crowd of penny-pinching troglodytes and halfwits who could have stopped to think about the fact that they were curbstompin' a nigga over a $10 coffee maker? Or the evil corporation of biblical greed scale who would hand your children small pox-ridden blankets who should've, you know, EMPLOYED MORE THAN ONE BOUNCER FOR SWAT-LIKE CROWD CONTROL?

How ya doing, buddy?

I avoid Black Friday because I don't gauge my life according to how much I can consume. (obviously applies to some things more than others)

There's nowhere I can't reach.

It's not the insane crowds that frighten me. I just don't want to spend the night in the freezing cold (and spend my time off work) to get 50% off a vacuum cleaner.

How ya doing, buddy?

A year ago I was working at a Wal-mart on black friday and I can assure you all, the mass chaos IS nation wide. Luckily, I live in a town where most of the people can contain themselves, but working in an electronics section, we were completely and utterly full of people.

The only saving grace was that we allowed people into the store instead of making them wait outside. Granted, it was packed full, but at least people weren't madly rushing the section like a dawn of the dead version of SUPERMARKET SWEEP.

I relished the idea at the time, however, when I heard about a previous year where a co-worker of mine dubbed 'donkey kong' because of his size and stature was punched in the stomach when trying to get laptops out for the rush. I relished this idea because nothing would have pleased me more than to have some guy assault me for a god damn worthless item, so I could unleash holy hell right inside of the store with dozens of witness around to say 'Yeah, that guy punched the worker first'.

Alas, that did not happen, but god help me, if I would have seen that event, some heads would have rolled.

I have to admit, the only thing worse than this was the fact that a TOYS R US on that very same DAY was shot up by three people or so...I have absolutely NO idea what could have been so valuable at a TOYS R US that would involve actual firearms going off, but all in all, society has once again swirled down the toilet bowl.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

One bouncer? The article says they had extra security and barricades. But the article also said they didn't have enough security. You gotta ask yourself if the crowd ripped the entrance door off it's hinges, how many people do you think they'd really need to control the crowd?

Heck it also states that they pushed over police when they arrived to help. If they're knocking over police you think they give a crap if some bouncer tries to stop them?

Even if I hadn't read about this on the City of Heroes forum a few days ago, this still wouldn't surprise me. I've lost far too much faith in humanity already for this to be a shock.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by DarkMageOzzie

Even if I hadn't read about this on the City of Heroes forum a few days ago, this still wouldn't surprise me. I've lost far too much faith in humanity already for this to be a shock.

I AM DISAFFECTED.

It's a tragedy. I blame Marketing. Spend all that time ramping up demand, eventually you'll reach a breaking point and realize you've created a monster.

But yeah, I mean, people right? They totally suck. Not me though because I'm totally not like other people.

Most amazing jew boots

Oh, come off it.

There are 'people' and then there are 'people who trample other people'.

FELIPE NO

No Pang, there's just 'people.' You may as well say "There's 'people' and there's 'people who show up early for Black Friday.'"

I mean think about it, saying you've lost all faith in people who trample each other is kind of vacuous. The dude's all "humanity sucks." That's a stupid stance to take. My apologies if I can not make this clearer.

If you think that's not what he's saying, that's cool.

I'm also sure a bunch of people could talk about group psychology and about how everyone has situations wherein they will not react appropriately. And you could make some very clever comment about how shopping at wal-mart is scarcely the kind of hard-core situation which would cause someone to lose their head, and then we can all agree that greed is bad and materialism is horrible.

However, all I really wanted to do was point out that making the kind of self-righteous statement about how "I've lost all faith in humanity" is arrogant and dumb. And if you disagree with that point as well, that's cool. I concede entirely. The field is yours.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Pangalin

There are 'people' and then there are 'people who trample other people'.

Is the same as

Originally Posted by Radez29

"There's 'people' and there's 'people who show up early for Black Friday.'"

Thank you for repeating it.

Have you ever worked the morning of Black Friday in a retail store? Have you ever seen first hand the ridiculous lengths people will go to just to be the first in line for a decent discount on a shitty product? It's one thing to read about it and act all disbelieving, but anyone who's worked retail can tell you the stereotype of the Black Friday Shopper is pretty fucking real.

Are you seriously trying to say that there is no problem when people are getting trampled for $200 off of a shitty TV?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

This is why I stayed home and did all my black friday shopping online and/or did all my shopping early. You can trick out the "try out" amazon prime thing for a month for free 2 day shipping too.

THOSE MOMS GOTTA GET THEIR KIDS THE TOYS THEY DON'T DESERVE, YA KNOW.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

You're pretty much asking for this kind of abhorrent behavior by ramping Black Friday up and shit. Let's go buy useless crap ((that we don't actually need)) at 4am on Black Friday - just because it's on MEGA-SALE! What soccer mom isn't going to cream her pants at the notion?

I agree with Pang. There's a difference between "people" and "people who get rabid over stupid garbage at 4am on Black Friday at the gates of a WALMART."

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Tande and Sass, if you look at the pics in the link within the article, you'll see it wasn't full of rabid, creaming, soccer moms. IT WAS THE NEGROES.

Also, no I'm not a soccer mom. My kids suck at soccer and no team would have them. SO THERE!

Also, Tande, sweetie, were you deprived of toys as a child or something?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Midna

Tande and Sass, if you look at the pics in the link within the article, you'll see it wasn't full of rabid, creaming, soccer moms. IT WAS THE NEGROES.

Wait.

Are you saying there can't be black soccer moms?

I don't care if they're black or white, I hear about this kind of shit EVERY. FUCKING. YEAR. They break the windows to gain entry, they beat each other up, they fight over the dumbest shit, and they have died before. I don't see it as a RACE issue, I see it as a STUPID issue.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Midna

Tande and Sass, if you look at the pics in the link within the article, you'll see it wasn't full of rabid, creaming, soccer moms. IT WAS THE NEGROES.

Also, no I'm not a soccer mom. My kids suck at soccer and no team would have them. SO THERE!

Also, Tande, sweetie, were you deprived of toys as a child or something?

DAMN BLACK PEOPLE.


=[ I want a mommy like you Midna.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Those WalMart emloyees got a first-hand preview of what the zombie apocalypse will feel like, just with less biting and more savings.

Most amazing jew boots

I go out on Black Friday every year but here is the difference. Instead of waiting forever outside a store like Best Buy overnight, I wait until after the store has opened and the people are already inside. You're stupid to wait with a crowd of hundreds of people surrounding you.

Best Buy opened at 5 and I got there around 5:15. I was able to get my hdtv just fine and was out of there in a jiffy. It's all about shopping smart.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

$8 Wrangler jeans! That's such a bargain! Also, I bet the family's gonna sue WalMart. Not unless you can sue a group of people, not that it's impossible...

This is something like the Wowowee Stampede. Although the stampede here killed 78 people and injured 400 others, but it's the same stupid crowd who did it.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Radez29

But yeah, I mean, people right? They totally suck. Not me though because I'm totally not like other people.

I was basing my statement over alot of terrible news reports I've heard over the past few years. Like the one where a woman was bleeding to death in the middle of a store and several shoppers just stepped over her and ignored it rather then alerting the store employees. Turned out she had been stabbed by someone and died because it was too much trouble for someone to say "Hey I think someone's hurt over there, you should call 911" they didn't even have to be the ones who actually called 911 they could have just said something.

Yes there are "people" and "people who do really stupid things". The general public has this massive "Someone else's problem" attitude about everything and it's pathetic. Like the people that had the nerve to complain when they were told they had to leave the Walmart cause they killed someone. They were refusing to leave when the store had become a crime scene. You read enough bad things about people in general and nothing surprises you anymore. It still sucks and I feel bad for the victim and his family. But it doesn't surprise me.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

If people are breaking windows and fighting each other to get in, why do they bother paying for things at all? If I was in a mob like that it'd be five-finger discounts on everything.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

White people are only ever incited to shop in this country.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

This is a good reason why I was happy I was done with Wal-Mart by this time.

I saw some of my co-workers and they looked zonked. I was amazed though as within TWO HOURS the customer service area was filled out with returns.

Interestingly, when I went (i did go when it opened), it was ALREADY opened and had been a few minutes early. However, finding their big deals were hard, although eventually I was able to take advantage of their 2 dollar DVD deals.

I am betting Black Friday will be a bit different next year...then revert back to craziness again.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Shin

If people are breaking windows and fighting each other to get in, why do they bother paying for things at all?

I was wondering that myself.

To be honest, this is a level of insane I don't think I can quite comprehend. People were trampling someone and not caring. How fucking out of your head stupid do you need to get for that to become OK? The police should make an example of the mob, if they have them on video, ID as many as possible and charge them with manslaughter.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Too bad their lawyers will most likely say "it was the other person....not on tape". Still, this is one of those few times I wish a judge would say "screw the laws to an extent, you all are fined 50,000 each. Don't like it? Too bad. This is the real world, and what just happened was a real tragedy.".

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by majario

Best Buy opened at 5 and I got there around 5:15. I was able to get my hdtv just fine and was out of there in a jiffy. It's all about shopping smart.

Best thing I've heard done was the following strategy:

Get there 5 minutes after opening with a partner. Have your partner wait in line for the register, then go to the front of the register and see if anyone has decided not to buy the item you were targeting because they found that the extra Black Friday savings was a mail-in rebate. Take said item, and go back to the line where your partner is. Pay for your stuff.

The person who told me about this told me they were out in 15 minutes (the time it took them to get through the line to the register).

Most amazing jew boots

Guys, I know it's like "smart" to have "strategies" to go shopping like the master tacticians you are but I don't want to be the one to remind you guys that this kind of stuff still happens because your "strategies" always include shopping because you're sold on the ruse that you're saving HUGE AMOUNTS OF YOUR HARD EARNED money on crap that you probably really don't need. I think we can agree THAT is at the very least part of the problem.

Jam it back in, in the dark.