Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede
Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 4:16 PM
Farriella for News Police tape surrounds a Wal-Mart that was the scene of a deadly stampede.
Augustine for News This photo was taken moments before the Wal-Mart store opened.
A Wal-Mart worker died after being trampled when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island store Friday morning, police and witnesses said.
The 34-year-old employee, a temporary maintenance worker, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m.
Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him.
"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," said Jimmy Overby, 43, a co-worker. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too...I literally had to fight people off my back."
The unidentified victim was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:03 a.m., police said.
The cause of death wasn't immediately available pending results of an autopsy.
A 28-year-old pregnant woman was knocked to the floor during the mad rush. She was hospitalized for observation, police said. Early witness accounts that the woman suffered a miscarriage were unfounded, police said.
Three other shoppers suffered minor injuries, cops said.
Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar called the incident a "tragic situation."
"The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority," Tovar said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this difficult time."
Before police shut down the store, eager shoppers streamed past emergency crews as they worked furiously to save the store clerk's life.
"They were working on him, but you could see he was dead, said Halcyon Alexander, 29. "People were still coming through."
Only a few stopped.
"They're savages," said shopper Kimberly Cribbs, 27. "It's sad. It's terrible."
That is absolutely insane. I'm so sickened by people like that. :-(
ReplyDeleteSadly this is par for the course on Black Friday, and it is worse because the media gloifies these assclowns. Last night as I was sitting down watching the late news, they were interviewing a guy who set up camp at 8pm Thursday for the Friday sales. If they are going to treat these events, like they used to do regarding concert seating, where everyone rushed in at the gates opening and all of the seating was first come, first served, then more people are going to die over stupidity like this. One has to wonder just how many of the people that trampled this man don't actually care, because the savings were too good.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad, yes it makes you wonder how many were more concerned about saving money then murder. :-( I'm glad I live in a community in which people aren't that insane and where we help each other. No amount of money is worth that.
ReplyDeleteBest Buy hands out tickets and you haveto have a ticket to get in... which cuts down on the rush. But regardless, it is inhumane to act like that.
Last year ( I was too sick to go this year, plus they didn't have anything I wanted/needed) we were at Walmart at 4:20. It "opened" at 5am, but the store is a 24 hour store and they had the sale stuff wrapped in black wrap on pallets. They also had 2 sales people per pallet and if you dared to touch it, you were removed from the store and forbidden to come back that day. That is far more safe than the mayhem most have.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was about 20 feet from me and the Wal-mart worker made everyone wait until she got the item she wanted off of the pallet before she let anyone else touch anything. I went back later and thanked her. She told me Sarah got there first and that was the end of it. LOL No one complained and no one hurt anyone.
I like a bargain but I'm not insane enough to try and go to the stores on a big sale day like this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrible tragedy.
Apparently the body count is up to three for this retail "holiday", as two men shot each other in a toy store in California later in the day. To quote myself "And the hits just keep on comin......."
ReplyDeleteppl like this drive me to stay home. It's sad how careless,selfish ppl really are
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere where there was a pregnant lady that lost her baby during this stampede as well, but I can't remember where I read it.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing, not one damn thing in any store out there that I would be willing to run someone over for.
ReplyDelete