Walmart Black Friday Deaths – Walmart Employee Trampled to Death
In Long Island, New York, a 34-year-old WalMart employee of the Valley Stream store was trampled to death by 200 crazed stampeding shoppers during today’s Black Friday rush, as they rushed into the store at 5:00 am, “took the doors off the hinges,” injuring three other people in the stampede in order to cash in on special Black Friday deals.
A Nassau County police spokesman says it was “utter chaos.” One woman said shoppers were acting like “savages.” Other witnesses say even as the man lay gasping for air on the ground, shoppers streamed into the store, stepping over him and went on with their shopping spree.
Police say dozens of store employees who tried to help the man were also trampled by the crowd. “He was bum-rushed by 200 people, said co-worker Jimmy Overby. “He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too…I literally had to fight people off my back.”
A 28-year-old pregnant woman was knocked to the floor during the crazed Black Friday rush, but police report both mother and baby are doing fine despite early accounts that the woman had miscarried. She was hospitalized for observation, police said.
As emergency crews worked feverishly to save the unidentified store employee’s life, frenzied shoppers streamed right on past until police shut down the store. “They were working on him, but you could see he was dead. People were still coming through”. Only a few shoppers stopped.
This is just one of many reasons why I never venture out on Black Friday. There are many Black Friday online deals that don’t require risking your life by crazed lunatics such as occurred today at Walmart.
[Image credit: Daily News]
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Hi Lin,
I heard about this on the radio, so sad … and unnecessary. I actually ventured out for Black Friday, for pretty much the first time ever. I was a little disheartened when I showed up at 3:45 (the doors opened at 4am), to be greeted by a couple hundred people already ahead of me in line.
Fortunately, I was able to get my son a laptop (for less than $400!!).
Even more fortunately, apparently military crowds are well behaved at these kind of things. Not only was there no pushing, shoving or fights; but I actually had a couple of nice conversations while waiting in the various lines.
That being said, I think next year I’ll take your advice and just do it online.
Todd
Hi Todd,
Every year it seems there are more and more stories like one, innocent people losing their lives for the sake of a discount.
Congratulations on finding your son a laptap! I’ve seen online deals for laptops and many other “popular Christmas gifts” and considered getting one for my daughter, but I’m all done with her gifts this year. Maybe for her Birthday next year, we’ll see.
Thank goodness the black friday scenes here were not as dramatic. My wife started shopping with her friend at 4am and saw long lines every where. They were all civil and orderly. I guess deep down they knew it’s not always going to be a super-awesome-deal where they have to stampede to get it.
Hi Rudy, after hearing about this Walmart employee being trampled to death, I then heard the story about two men shot to death at a Toys R Us toy store in Palm Desert California.
I’m glad your wife was able to do her Black Friday shopping without incident.
Honestly, Lin. People start to lose their mind and falling into the insanity, when they’re rushing and grabbing for the cheap stuffs!
Hopefully, the victim will be rest in peace…
Wilson, every year on Black Friday there are always stories such as this one. People sometimes act so stupid. Mob mentality over a toy or gadget of some kind is ridiculous regardless of how cheap it is.
This man lost his life and rather than enjoying the holidays, his family must now plan a funeral. Thanksgiving and Christmas will never be the same again for this man’s family, all because of some pathetic Walmart shoppers looking for cheap gifts. If the authorities could locate all those shoppers who trampled this poor man, I think they should have to attend this man’s funeral and see how they feel then about their stupid shopping trip at Walmart.
People, are you serious? This man was trampled to death, and you all are giving each other pats on the back for successful shopping excursions after a brief statement about this, most tragic of events. Aw, poor man died, BUT GUESS WHAT, I GOT A LAPTOP. In your small way you are contributing to the perversion of Christmas. EW!!!!
Hi Tammy,
As I said, I’d really like to see those shoppers found and made to attend this man’s funeral. I think each of them should have to face the reality that their behavior and attitudes about Black Friday shopping lead to this man losing his life, as well as making the holidays a heartbreaking and devastating time for his family. I hope each of those shoppers who were included in the crowd and trampled this man are having a terrible time dealing with their actions that cost this man his life.
Hi Lin – This was appalling wasn’t it. I am not a great lover of Christmas anyway – it just seems too much about greed and little else. And I don’t mean to sound like a scrooge but it’s things like this that makes me want to have it abolished altogether.
Hi Cath, it’s so sad and senseless that it makes me angry. I love Christmastime, but I really hate the greed aspect of it, as well as the attitudes of so many that have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and the fact that “it’s the thought that counts” not the price tag.
I have to agree with Tammy on this one. This is a very sad sign of where many of us are right now as a society. This thread should be discussing possible reasons or solutions to such an event, not celebrating a good buy. The spirit of christmas takes yet another hit.
Andrew, I would have thought by now that retail stores would have learned valuable lessons over the years of so many of these type situations have taken place. It seems so elementary at least to me personally that stores would have created kindergarten-like lines outside the doors, and only allowed a few people in at a time rather than simply opening the doors to everyone at once.
In many businesses and corporations we often find ourselves having to walk around barriers in single file (such as in a check cashing place) in order to get to the window for help of some kind. Why hasn’t such a barrier been set up outside of stores, especially during well known heavy traffic days such as Black Friday? I even find these barriers or corded-off areas in movie theaters during very busy times, so why hasn’t such a system been put into place for busy shopping days? I just don’t understand it.
Then again, as far as responses to readers who express pleasure at finding a great deal, I do feel a sense of obligation to tell them congrats despite the fact that this particular post is about a tragedy. It is not intended to appear callous in any way, and I’m sorry if it appears that way to anyone. I cannot possibly respond to each person in a way that makes everyone comfortable.
I don’t think Walmart will do much… A few years ago in Humble, Texas I was shopping at Wal-Mart’s Black Friday sale and I was literally “Dog Piled” on…. over a computer. Walmart did nothing to help me even though I was screaming for help. They refused to let me see the tape and then they told me that the camera wasn’t working therefore, there wasn’t a tape. They denied paying for my medical bills. My back was seriously injured because so many people jumped on top of me and my son….I was at the bottom of the pile… on top of the LAST $399.00 computer. Where was security or even an employee to assist me and my son? I was screaming as loud as I could for help. My medical bills cost me much more than the computer… The sale wasn’t worth it. I don’t shop at Walmart on Black Friday anymore.
I hope and pray things change after all of this that happened this year…. No one should have to “DIE” for a SALE!!!!! If our government can bail out the Mortgage companies certainly they can pass some laws to prevent this from ever happening again… I think the stores should have minimum of 500 of the sale items and provide a rain check for when they run out of the item. This would prevent all of this chaos.
Hi Tammy, it’s really a shame that Walmart and other stores haven’t clued in. It’s awful that you and others have been put through such things just trying to do some shopping, and especially the fact that people are dying in the process of shopping. It’s appalling to say the least, and as much as I wish stores of all sizes would actually DO something about it to prevent it from ever happening again, I doubt anything will be done.
It’s absolutely absurd to think that this happened. All over saving a few bucks on poorly made products. I actually came across this story when someone posted the video of the paramedics attempting to bring him back to life! After reading the story and all that I find it absolutely appalling what happened.
Hi John, thanks for stopping by. Just today to learned that the family of this man has filed a lawsuit against Walmart. What a terrible time for the entire family and their friends and loved ones.