Wal-Mart worker dies in Black Friday stampede

Langox510x · #1 11-28-2008, 12:45 PM

Although I'd hate to get trampled, at least his family will no longer ever have to worry about money again. Reminds me of the P. Diddy concert trampling. Sad story.

Quote:

Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede
BY JOE GOULD
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 10:19 AM

Anderson/News
A Wal-Mart store was the scene of chaos this morning.

A worker died after being trampled and a woman miscarried when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart Friday morning, witnesses said.

The unidentified worker, employed as an overnight stock clerk, 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."

Nassau County Police are still investigating and would not confirm the witness accounts. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. Police did say there were several injuries but weren't more specific.

Jessica Keyes was among the shoppers. She told the Daily News she saw a woman knocked down just a few feet from the dying worker.

"When the paramedics came, she said 'I'm pregnant,'" Keyes said.

Paramedics treated the woman inside the store and then, according to Keys, told the woman:

"There's nothing we can do. The baby is gone."

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."

source: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/...art_after.html

Scandia · #2 11-28-2008, 01:03 PM

Goodness gracious! Consumerism has gone insane. I know the economy needs to be boosted- but not at this price.

I need to purchase a few things- but today I will buy nothing other than groceries. I dislike crowds way too much to even consider braving the stores.

DrPhil · #3 11-28-2008, 01:09 PM

That really pisses me off!

What the hell is wrong with people?

Is shopping EVER that serious?!

I am not shopping today. I have no interest in dealing with the "crowd effect." I'll shop some other day. The stuff will be there and I'll probably only go grocery shopping.

honeychile · #4 11-28-2008, 01:18 PM

You couldn't get me to go to those early bird shopping sprees on a bet. They should have locked everyone in the store and arrested them.

preciousjeni · #5 11-28-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

That really pisses me off!

What the hell is wrong with people?

Is shopping EVER that serious?!

I am not shopping today. I have no interest in dealing with the "crowd effect." I'll shop some other day. The stuff will be there and I'll probably only go grocery shopping.

My thoughts EXACTLY

KSUViolet06 · #6 11-28-2008, 05:24 PM

A few years ago, my stepdad and I went to Circuit City which opened at 5 AM, and had a Black Friday deal on DVD players. We got into the store, and went off to find the player. We got it, he put it into the cart, and told me to watch the cart while he went to the restroom.

While he was in the restroom, I looked at other struff, all while pulling the cart behind me. I stopped and left my hand on the cart while I pulled something off the shelf with another. While in the process of this, an elderly woman RAN UP and YANKED that cart out of my hand (causing me to fall over) and RAN toward the checkout counter yelling "Bob I found your DVD player!"

I never shopped on Black Friday again. I find that most of what I want either will still be there on Monday, or is on eBay somewhere.

Munchkin03 · #7 11-28-2008, 05:40 PM

Back in my day, we used to only get one special present that we asked for specifically. Of course, there'd be other little surprises, but not this huge toy-soaked fest that a lot of people have now. My niece and nephew, for example, tend to get a LOT of stuff, but their parents aren't together anymore, and that explains the 2 Christmases they get.

I think a lot of this stuff comes down to priorities. I remember kids in school who would come to school without a proper coat, but they all got Nintendos back for Christmas of 1989.

As far as Santa goes, I really wanted to believe, but I never could. My nephew never even tried.

Benzgirl · #8 11-28-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

While he was in the restroom, I looked at other struff, all while pulling the cart behind me. I stopped and left my hand on the cart while I pulled something off the shelf with another. While in the process of this, an elderly woman RAN UP and YANKED that cart out of my hand (causing me to fall over) and RAN toward the checkout counter yelling "Bob I found your DVD player!"

Tell me this wasn't in Cleveland or Crackron.

KSUViolet06 · #9 11-29-2008, 12:48 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/28/bla...nce/index.html

More Black Friday Violence

Two men shot dead in CA Toys R Us store.

a.e.B.O.T. · #10 11-29-2008, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/28/bla...nce/index.html

More Black Friday Violence

Two men shot dead in CA Toys R Us store.

yes, but it was unrelated to the shopping day... it was a personal thing between the two men... that same article said the pregnant woman's baby is ok, which is good.

nikki1920 · #11 11-28-2008, 01:06 PM

My thoughts exactly. The store will be there tomorrow.

My condolences to the clerk's family and the woman who lost her baby.

DrPhil · #12 11-28-2008, 01:13 PM

rant/

The View was encouraging people to shop today to stimulate the economy. Even if we all only spent $10.

Sounds good.

But a lot of the people who are camping out at shopping outlets around here at 1AM aren't doing it to stimulate the economy, although it will have that effect, and plan on spending much more than a few bucks. One lady said "money is so tight, we needed to be here early to get these good deals." Ummmmm...if money is so TIGHT, why the hell are you shopping?! How about doing without these luxury items? How about telling the family that this will be a different kind of Christmas this year and focusing on other aspects of Christmas? Geesh....

/end rant

Langox510x · #13 11-28-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Ummmmm...if money is so TIGHT, why the hell are you shopping?! How about doing without these luxury items? How about telling the family that this will be a different kind of Christmas this year and focusing on other aspects of Christmas? Geesh....

/end rant

Money can be tight, but and still have an excess. I mean nothing wrong with buying Christmas presents even in this situation if you budget your money correctly. It's not like she said she was in line for gifts, but didn't even have the money for next months rent.

Also, my own mother has been telling us that our money is tight, or where broke, or poor since I was little, and the fact is that both my parents make money that most American’s can only dream of making and they're just completely full of sh!t.

DrPhil · #14 11-28-2008, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Langox510x

Money can be tight, but and still have an excess.

No. But some people think that having $300 in an account after bills are paid counts as "excess." That counts as living paycheck to paycheck. The average American (who is out shopping right now) doesn't have any wealth accumulated and is living paycheck to paycheck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Langox510x

I mean nothing wrong with buying Christmas presents even in this situation if you budget your money correctly.

If budgeting money when "money is tight" means living paycheck to paycheck, the presents should not be bought.

Langox510x · #15 11-28-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

No.

If budgeting money when "money is tight" means living paycheck to paycheck, the presents should not be bought.

What I said was that the woman never claimed to be living paycheck to paycheck. My point was that the phase "money is tight" is a very lax term, which may be used even by someone who we wouldn't consider as not being wealthy.

Even if somebody was living paycheck to paycheck, I don't see any crime in tightening money which would go towards other possible things and using it towards Christmas. I could honestly see a somewhat detrimental effect on a child if they grew up in a household which didn't have a Christmas celebration, when everybody around them was. That’s something a child would honestly remember forever. I'm not talking about an absorbitant amount of money, I'm talking about maybe $100 budgeted towards Christmas.

This term is thrown around a lot and sometimes refers to not having as much money as the individual may have in the past, but it doesn't necessarily mean you are living paycheck to paycheck.

I'm a broke college student. I'm still debt free, and would have no problem spending what I would consider large amount of money. The other day I just happen to spend $175 on some sneakers, and not a money trouble in the world. But even I consider my money as still being tight. Odd thing is, I’ve heard people say buying sneakers for $175 is dumb, but is it no different then buying that $400 X-Box, or that $600 handbag?