Saturday, November 29, 2008

Death by shopping . . .

. . . in New York, where else?



A thundering herd of New York shoppers trampled a Wal-Mart worker to death in order to get at those "black Friday" bargains.

In the cell phone video from which the above still was taken, several women could be heard laughing, a man says "They need to put the paddles on him," and another man says "They ain't givin' him CPR. They afraid to put they (sic) mouth on him." Nevermind that the latest CPR guidelines state that forced breathing isn't that productive, and that chest compressions are the first priority.

This is not the store where the death occurred, but it gives a pretty good idea of the total lack of civility of the lovely crowd. Freaking barbarians.

A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday when "out-of-control" shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale. Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

At least four other people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals for observation or minor injuries, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island closed for several hours before reopening.

Shoppers stepped over the man on the ground and streamed into the store. When told to leave, they complained that they had been in line since Thursday morning.

This is the Wal-Mart store in the story. They not only trampled the man, they broke down the doors to get to him. Classy, eh?