UPDATED: Wal-Mart employee dies on Black Friday after being knocked down by shoppers
** UPDATE: Wal-Mart just released an updated statement from Hank Mullany, a senior vice president and president of the company's Northeast division. It includes this passage: "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. We also erected barricades. Despite all of our precautions, this unfortunate event occurred."
** UPDATE: A "personal dispute" at a Palm Desert Toys Us at 11:30 a.m. left two men dead from gunshot wounds. Read the full story here.
It's every Black Friday shopper's and security guard's worst nightmare.
Overeager shoppers jostling to get into a Wal-Mart on New York's Long Island trampled an employee to death this morning in the rush to snatch some good deals.
Also caught in that chaos at the Valley Stream, N.Y., store: a 28-year-old pregnant woman and at least three other shoppers who suffered minor injuries.
According to a police statement, the death happened at 5:03 a.m., minutes after Wal-Marts across the country opened their doors to the holiday rush.
The employee, a 34-year-old man, suffered "an undetermined death" when a "throng of shoppers ... physically broke down the doors, knocking him to the ground," according to the statement. He was declared dead at a nearby hospital at 6:03 a.m.
Wal-Mart was tight-lipped about the accident, saying in a statement that its officials are still working with Nassau County Police. The statement called the situation "tragic," added that the employee was working for a temporary agency and confirmed that several customers were also injured.
At a Best Buy in the Glendale area this morning, frustration and impatience caused several small fights to break out in the crowd before doors opened, according to police officers patrolling the front of the store.
--Tiffany Hsu
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This is sad. What were these people thinking?
Saving a buck is no reason to act like animals.
They should use the surveillance camera pictures to hold those responsible for inciting the riot and / or manslaughter.
Posted by: Kipper | November 28, 2008 at 11:51 AM
This is sad. What were these people thinking?
Saving a buck is no reason to act like animals.
They should use the surveillance camera pictures to hold those responsible for inciting the riot and / or manslaughter.
Posted by: Kipper | November 28, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Its a disgusting commentary on our country and our values and it was bound to happen.
Posted by: Proud to be an american - NOT | November 28, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I was there when this happened. Actually i am employee. I really feel sorry for what happened. That man used to work with me. It was really a great lost.
But over here i wanna add one thing that i feel no sorry for that pregnant woman or for those people who brought their 7 yrs old kids with them. What were they thinking? Didn't they know that that is not the right place for such kind of people??????
Posted by: UJ | November 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
F'ing americans...bobbles and gadgets are more important than human life...disgusting.
Posted by: Inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
What have we come to! I know that times are tough but to behave with disregard to human life is beyond the pale. This year my husband and I are not giving each other gifts. I am baking cookies for my friends. Only the kids are getting presents and they will be modest. Sharing love and gratitude are what is important. Come to your senses people!!
Posted by: Jen | November 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Yeah, I am so glad that america is leading the fight for "decency."
Posted by: inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Yeah, I am so glad that america is leading the fight for "decency."
Posted by: inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Yeah, I am so glad that america is leading the fight for "decency."
Posted by: inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM
In response to Jen:
What have we come to! I know that times are tough but to behave with disregard to human life is beyond the pale. This year my husband and I are not giving each other gifts. I am baking cookies for my friends. Only the kids are getting presents and they will be modest. Sharing love and gratitude are what is important. Come to your senses people!!
Posted by: Jen | November 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
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OMG, what is wrong with you? That is totally un-american! How can you turn the holidays into being about friends and family and love and NOT a hedonistic excercise in over-indulgence?
Oh, and I meant that as a compliment by the way. Good for you!
Posted by: Inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:45 PM
In response to Jen:
What have we come to! I know that times are tough but to behave with disregard to human life is beyond the pale. This year my husband and I are not giving each other gifts. I am baking cookies for my friends. Only the kids are getting presents and they will be modest. Sharing love and gratitude are what is important. Come to your senses people!!
Posted by: Jen | November 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
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OMG, what is wrong with you? That is totally un-american! How can you turn the holidays into being about friends and family and love and NOT a hedonistic excercise in over-indulgence?
Oh, and I meant that as a compliment by the way. Good for you!
Posted by: Inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:46 PM
I am SICK about this. Yes, those shoppers that feel the need to rush in just to save a dollar should be held responsible -- but so should Wal-Mart. The company has a responsibility to keep its employees safe -- and it didn't. Wal-Mart knows it is going to be a gong show on Black Friday. This isn't the first year for Black Friday. Take some of billions of dollars you are making and provide extra security and security for line control on what you know will be the busiest shopping day of the year. And please Wal-Mart, don't come out and blame the shoppers. You know what Black Friday is like. It's the same every year. This was bound to happen. I hope the company is slapped with a HUGE lawsuit. Protect your employees!
Posted by: Dustin | November 28, 2008 at 12:53 PM
What have we come to! I know that times are tough but to behave with disregard to human life is beyond the pale. This year my husband and I are not giving each other gifts. I am baking cookies for my friends. Only the kids are getting presents and they will be modest. Sharing love and gratitude are what is important. Come to your senses people!!
Posted by: Jen | November 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
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OMG, what is wrong with you? That is totally un-American! How can you turn the holidays into being about friends and family and love and NOT a hedonistic exercise in over-indulgence?
Oh, and I meant that as a compliment by the way. Good for you!
Posted by: Inverse137 | November 28, 2008 at 12:45 PM
--------------------------------
True that. True that.
Posted by: Joseph Greene | November 28, 2008 at 01:13 PM
Yeah, sue Walmart. Sue them because they didn't have an additional 300 employees working this morning armed with water cannons and tazers. This whole suing mentality has gotten out of control as well as Black Friday, which should be done away with.
Posted by: Charles | November 28, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Absolutely ever last person who was responsible for rushing the doors should be rounded up and thrown in jail.
Wal-Mart should be fined, sued, strung up and wrung out for not having proper queuing and crowd control.
This crap happens every year, you would think for ONCE that someone at one of these freakin MADE IN CHINA crap stores would get it right.
Wal Mart needs to be done away with. Brought down, torn apart, sold off and abolished. It is the ruination of this country.
Posted by: Wally | November 28, 2008 at 01:50 PM
Way to go LA TIMES - good advertising headline above a story about death at Wal-Mart.
"To Live and Buy in LA
Finding the best values this season online & in stores
« Deals, deals, deals for Black Friday early-birds | Main
Wal-Mart employee dies on Black Friday after being knocked down by shoppers"
You'd think someone would be watching out for stupidity like this ..........
Posted by: Wally | November 28, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Why is anyone surprised that such a terrible thing has taken place. Macy's, I live in NY and knew some of the employees and shoppers, had a sale three years ago on wedding dresses that resulted in a similar stampede and actual physical altercations between several customers. The police were called to stop the fighting. This, nor the Wal-mart incident, had any thing to do with the economy or saving a few dollars as some claim on this site. Humans are just not that civilized and are not capable of rational thought on a consistent basis. One thing else, all the customers at the Macy's wedding dress were female. It appears that females, despite claims to the otherwise, can do some very brutal things.
Posted by: Joe harrison | November 28, 2008 at 02:01 PM
It is very sad what happened. And to the loser that mentioned Americans.....if you are not one and are living here in our country why don't you go back to yours. Do you live in one of those lovely countries where they attack one another in the streets throwing rocks and bottles at each other? I bet you do!
Posted by: Sara | November 28, 2008 at 03:22 PM
May ALL those who murdered this innocent man by convicted and sentenced!! YOU ARE DISGUSTING AND DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY.
Posted by: anonymous | November 28, 2008 at 03:49 PM
I don't think Walmart is to blame. It's the customers that have no regard for anyone but themselves and wanting to save a few bucks. When something tragic likes this happens all one can think about is to sue? Will that bring the life back? Is it always about money? This could have and has happened at any other store in the US. It's the people that need to be blamed, not the retailer. Lets review the tapes and find the people responsilble for this man's death and put them behind bars. Then if you have the need to sue, sue the people who killed him.
Posted by: 2foolish4u | November 28, 2008 at 03:56 PM