This happens almost every year. These stores just don't learn.
" Eyewitness News
VALLEY STREAM (WABC) -- A Wal-Mart employee died and four others were hurt in the Black Friday rush to get into the Valley Stream store this morning.
The injuries occurred as the shoppers crammed into the Wal-Mart when the doors opened at 5 a.m.
Police said the shoppers knocked the man to the ground at 5:03 a.m., three minutes after the store opened.
A 34-year-old Wal-Mart employee suffered an apparent heart attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Story continues below
An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death.
Four others were also hurt in the crush, including a 28-year-old pregnant woman. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors determined her baby was fine.
The store was closed to incoming shoppers following the incident. Those already inside were escorted out with their purchases.
The ensuing emergency activity clogged the Green Acres Mall parking lot.
Shoppers around the country lined up early outside stores Friday in the annual bargain hunting ritual known as Black Friday. It got that name because it's historically been the day when stores broke into profitability for the full year.
Nassau County police were at the scene investigating.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., would not confirm the reports of a stampede at the Valley Stream outlet but said a "medical emergency" had caused them to close the store.
"Local authorities are looking into the situation," said Wal-Mart representative Dan Fogleman. "Until such time that they've completed their assessment it would be inappropriate for me to share any additional information."
The local Sears here was going to open at 5am with so many deals. Turns out they had computer problems and couldn't get the registers or security cams to work. They had to keep the doors locked. They kept telling the hundreds of anxious shoppers waiting oustide that it would only be a few more minutes. After 3 hours they are still waiting in line. A complete SNAFU. Eventually they passed out coupons but stated that they could only be redeemed if they stayed in line. Riots followed. People were too afraid of missing all the deals elsewhere but also didn't want to have their time wasted in line. They told the irate shoppers that it was a nation wide problem but that bogus excuse was quickly shot down by several quick phone calls to other Sears stores. Not a good day for Sears.
i went to the tanger outlet malls in pigeon forge at 10 last night because the stores were supposed to open at 12. i got there at 11 and the stores were already open and people were going absolutely apeshit. it must be because the economy because it wasn't 1/2 as bad last year. there were literally 1000s and 1000s of cars there.
People sure are animals in this world. I'm never surprised by the crazy things that happen. It's all in our human nature I guess...it's just too bad not everyone is actually raised to know the difference between doing right and wrong.
i worked 350 am to 215 pm today at best buy and it was hell, ppl were animals. tons of ppl coming in bugging me for 300 dollar laptops that were gone hours ago, indians not to nit pick but they were all over the place, half of them stunk to high hell and thier breath was nasty as hell. they were so arrogant they acctually spit on my one associate cause he was told he couldn't cut the line for ppl waiting on laptops. when we handed out tickets for the laptop sales they surrounded me a few times and managers had to pull them off us cause they wanted the cheap laptops, ther erie part was when i stepped backed and found a pile of about 5 red bricks laying loose on the ground. after that our managers told us get inside the store. i like my job, but i never wanna put up with that stuff again. btw this is not including the numerous amount of fist fights that were broken up just in time.
Contributing to the insanity are the ppl looking to turn those great deals into profit. When it gets to these extremes it's just not worth it. Stand back far enough and watch from the sidelines. Let the animals do their thing.
Ironically most don't see the marketing ploy in these events. The bait and switch tactic has been used for YEARS. Giving away a tiny percentage of their inventory at cost is well worth the 2000% increase in traffic they get into their stores.
Nevermind the stampedes and riots and even deaths that occur......it's survival of the fittest right?
I woke up this am at like 5:30. I could hear the traffic on the main road about 50 yards away from my house like there was some sort of evac going on. It's not people wanting to go shopping so much as getting all the deals, which are available to about .001% of the public.
