Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 4:16 PM
Farriella for News Police tape surrounds a Wal-Mart that was the scene of a deadly stampede.
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 employee, a temporary maintenance worker, 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.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: WAL-MART CROWD MOMENTS BEFORE DEADLY STAMPEDE
"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 wasn't immediately available pending results of an autopsy.
A 28-year-old pregnant woman was knocked to the floor during the mad rush. She was hospitalized for observation, police said. Early witness accounts that the woman suffered a miscarriage were unfounded, police said.
Three other shoppers suffered minor injuries, cops said.
Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar called the incident a "tragic situation."
"The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority," Tovar said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this difficult time."
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.
"They're savages," said shopper Kimberly Cribbs, 27. "It's sad. It's terrible."
3 comments:
First off all, Walmart is the most evil, corrupt business on planet Earth. I refuse to shop there because of the way they abuse senior citizens, feed into greedy mass consumerism, and destroy small businesses. I could go on and on about how much I hate Walmart, but when I heard about this I got totally angry, not because of Walmart but because this is what Walmart does to people. Walmart creates ridiculously low, artificial prices that people(obviously) kill over. It is absolute mayhem and it makes me extremely sad. I am glad you are talking about it because it needs to be dicussed.
Okay. Whew. I feel better.
So awful when insanity ends in a senseless death of someone else. Disgusting. A couple years ago on Black Friday at WalMart, I was pushed on top of the bin of Roma tomatoes. I sat there in awe that this was over a Little People zoo. I couldn't believe how many sleeping children (mostly newborns) were abandoned in shopping carts outside the mosh pit perimeters as their parents (mothers) dived in and fought for "stuff". I think it could happen anywhere with crowds of determined and anxious people. Scary how people can become so tunnel visioned and selfish when they wouldn't typically act that way.
WOW!! Did they let everyone in at the same time??? Me and my husband went to Walmart by the mall and the long was all the way around the store. There were lots of cops out standing around and in thier cars. They let about 50 people in at once, then waited awhile then let more in. It was a mad house but hey we saved like $150.
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