Police use pepper spray to end fights over Air Jordans

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Police used pepper spray to break up fights among customers waiting outside a Seattle area mall to buy the first Nike retro Air Jordan basketball shoes that went on sale.

Tukwila officer Mike Murphy told the Associated Press that about 20 people were sprayed in a group. One man was arrested in connection with an assault. No one was injured.

“Around 3 [a.m.] there started to be some fighting and pushing among the customers,” he told the AP. “Around 4, it started to get pretty unruly and officers sprayed pepper spray on a few people who were fighting, and that seemed to do the trick to break them up.”

Murphy said more than 1,000 people were lined up to buy shoes at four stores in the Westfield mall. He said the stores sold out, and all but about 50 people got their Air Jordans.

No injuries were reported, although some people suffered cuts or scrapes from fights, the AP report said. The crowd broke off a door, Murphy said.

One man was arrested. Authorities said he pushed an officer.

“He did not get his shoes; he went to jail,” Murphy said.

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--Houston Mitchell