Black Friday death toll (3 so far)

[Matt]

And now, in the "it was bound to happen news report":

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, 11:20 AM
A Wal-Mart store was the scene of chaos this morning. Anderson/News

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

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 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."

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 was pending.

A 28-year-old pregnant woman was knocked to the floor during the mad rush. She was hospitalized for observation, police said.

Three other shoppers suffered minor injuries, cops said.

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.

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

[DrRay11]

Fucking greedy idiots.

[bukdow]

Ah yes, the Holiday Season in consumer driven America. This country is a fucking disgrace to the concept of civilization.

[Matt]

WTF, two more dead:

http://cbs2.com/local/shooting.Toys.R.2.875874.html

2 Dead In Shooting At Toys 'R' Us In Palm Desert
PALM DESERT (CBS) ― Two people were shot and killed Friday at a Toys "R" Us store in Palm Desert.

Police responded to the store near the intersection of Fred Waring Drive and Highway 111 after calls began coming in around 11:30 a.m.

An argument reportedly broke out between two female shoppers just before the shooting.

A witness reportedly yelled, "He's got a gun," as a man who was with one of the two women opened fire, killing at least two people.

Daniel Watson rushed to the scene when he received a frantic call from his wife, who was inside the store at the time of the shooting.

Some employees and shoppers continued to be held nearly an hourly after the shooting, as authorities continued investigating.

The store's parking lot was surrounded by yellow police tape.

[Zip Goshboots]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Let's remember that Christ is in Christmas.

bukdow, I'm with ya on the civilization thing. Who the fuck does this stupid holliday shit anymore?

[MoTown]

Every one of those 200 people that trampled the guy need to face a firing squad.

I have never once shopped on Black Friday. Anyone that does needs to get a life.

[DE]

They need to be arrested and prosecuted.

[DennyMcLain]

Every one of those 200 people that trampled the guy need to face a firing squad.

I have never once shopped on Black Friday. Anyone that does needs to get a life.

Iverson was there.

[Glenn]

Plax almost made this list.

[Uncle Mxy]

I have never once shopped on Black Friday. Anyone that does needs to get a life.

I do so, but only online. With Amazon, I already have a wish list of crap and Black Friday is usually a cheap day to buy. The last thing I want to do is be on the road with fucking Black Friday weenies early in the morning. I bet they killed more people than at the stores. The folks standing in line Thanksgiving night to get a hundred bucks off a laptop or whatever should seriously think about what their time is worth (and check the sales history for the product on non-Black Friday days -- the Internet is your friend).

My biggest Black Friday angst was TurboTax. For the past couple years, I put in an order to get TurboTax. It turns out that with TurboTax 2008, they added some sucky provisions to it. If I understand things right, it costs $10 for each return you want to PRINT beyond the first, as a way of pushing you to electronically file. Ugh.