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Nov. 28th, 2008 12:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
empallinWal-Mart worker dies after shoppers knock him down
By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK – A worker died after being trampled by a throng of unruly shoppers when a suburban Wal-Mart opened for the holiday sales rush Friday, authorities said.
At least three other people were injured.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., would not confirm the reports of a stampede but said a "medical emergency" had caused the company to close the store, which is in Valley Stream on Long Island.
Nassau County police said the 34-year-old worker was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 6 a.m., an hour after the store opened. The cause of death was not immediately known.
A police statement said shortly after 5 a.m., a throng of shoppers "physically broke down the doors, knocking (the worker) to the ground." Police also said a 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for observation and three other shoppers suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals.
The dead worker's name was not released.
"Local authorities are looking into the situation," said Wal-Mart representative Dan Fogleman. But he said it would be "inappropriate for me to share any additional information" until authorities investigate further.
Shoppers around the country lined up early outside stores in the annual bargain hunting ritual known as Black Friday. Many stores open early and stay open late. The Valley Stream Wal-Mart usually opens at 9 a.m.
This might actually turn out to be a good thing. Yes it is sad that someone died but if that is what it takes to make things change for the safety of all then it will not be a pointless death. For years companies have done nothing but encourage this sort of behaviour. They frequently limit supplies of high demand below cost items to a point that you have to run to what you want to even have a chance of getting it. At the same time most of the stores have little or no security or safety personal to act as crowd control just so they can get people into the store. They encourage these purposely sleep deprived to act in a group mentality and not consider the physical or financial health of theirselves or others. All that matters is they spend every single cent that they can. Not just what they can afford to.
One of the best things that happened with this is that it made the news before the three headed monster that is Wal-Mart could squash or spin it. Given the chance we all know they would have. The worst part is that it happened in New York. Too many people in this country expect anyone from New York, city or state, to be rude and violent. It has been my personal experience that as a rule this is quite opposite of the truth. My travels have shown more violence and rudeness in smaller towns in the middle part of the country. Which is where this should have happened if it was going to. Though Wal-Mart might have been better able to control the release of information in a location like that. For a few days at least. Long enough to come up with a good spin that makes it the fault of the employee or the crowd. Anyone but the company.
It is because of situations like this they do a lottery type of deal on most major concert tickets and also why most facilities dont offer general admission seating. It was the same story. People died and companies got sued for lack of concern for consumer saftey. Seems that some one forgot to mention all of this to the retail giants. Hopefully they get the message soon enough to prevent more deaths.
as an aside because a lot of people seem not to know it is called black friday because the high level of sales are suppose to bring the companies out of the red and into the black financially. just so you know that yes it really is all about the almight dollar. why do you think they start putting the xmess crap out early and earlier? maybe i should start making a list of ways to avoid black friday crowds and still get a good deal. they i could charge people and have them line up and i get to beat the crap out of them so they get the full experience.
By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK – A worker died after being trampled by a throng of unruly shoppers when a suburban Wal-Mart opened for the holiday sales rush Friday, authorities said.
At least three other people were injured.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., would not confirm the reports of a stampede but said a "medical emergency" had caused the company to close the store, which is in Valley Stream on Long Island.
Nassau County police said the 34-year-old worker was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 6 a.m., an hour after the store opened. The cause of death was not immediately known.
A police statement said shortly after 5 a.m., a throng of shoppers "physically broke down the doors, knocking (the worker) to the ground." Police also said a 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for observation and three other shoppers suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals.
The dead worker's name was not released.
"Local authorities are looking into the situation," said Wal-Mart representative Dan Fogleman. But he said it would be "inappropriate for me to share any additional information" until authorities investigate further.
Shoppers around the country lined up early outside stores in the annual bargain hunting ritual known as Black Friday. Many stores open early and stay open late. The Valley Stream Wal-Mart usually opens at 9 a.m.
This might actually turn out to be a good thing. Yes it is sad that someone died but if that is what it takes to make things change for the safety of all then it will not be a pointless death. For years companies have done nothing but encourage this sort of behaviour. They frequently limit supplies of high demand below cost items to a point that you have to run to what you want to even have a chance of getting it. At the same time most of the stores have little or no security or safety personal to act as crowd control just so they can get people into the store. They encourage these purposely sleep deprived to act in a group mentality and not consider the physical or financial health of theirselves or others. All that matters is they spend every single cent that they can. Not just what they can afford to.
One of the best things that happened with this is that it made the news before the three headed monster that is Wal-Mart could squash or spin it. Given the chance we all know they would have. The worst part is that it happened in New York. Too many people in this country expect anyone from New York, city or state, to be rude and violent. It has been my personal experience that as a rule this is quite opposite of the truth. My travels have shown more violence and rudeness in smaller towns in the middle part of the country. Which is where this should have happened if it was going to. Though Wal-Mart might have been better able to control the release of information in a location like that. For a few days at least. Long enough to come up with a good spin that makes it the fault of the employee or the crowd. Anyone but the company.
It is because of situations like this they do a lottery type of deal on most major concert tickets and also why most facilities dont offer general admission seating. It was the same story. People died and companies got sued for lack of concern for consumer saftey. Seems that some one forgot to mention all of this to the retail giants. Hopefully they get the message soon enough to prevent more deaths.
as an aside because a lot of people seem not to know it is called black friday because the high level of sales are suppose to bring the companies out of the red and into the black financially. just so you know that yes it really is all about the almight dollar. why do you think they start putting the xmess crap out early and earlier? maybe i should start making a list of ways to avoid black friday crowds and still get a good deal. they i could charge people and have them line up and i get to beat the crap out of them so they get the full experience.
