Wal-Mart Employee Trampled To Death As Mob Tears Doors Off Hinges
The New York Times is reporting that a temporary employee of a suburban New York Walmart was trampled to death when a throng of shoppers tore down the front doors of the store and surged inside.
At 4:55 this morning, a group of 2,000 shoppers began pushing at the doors of the Walmart in Valley Stream, NY. The mob broke the doors off of their hinges and pushed inside the store, knocking down Jdimypai Damour, 34. No one helped him as he lay on the floor.
The NYT says:
People did not stop to help the employee as he lay on the ground, and they pushed against other Wal-Mart workers who were trying to aid Mr. Damour. The crowd kept running into the store even after the police arrived, jostling and pushing officers who were trying to perform CPR, the police said.
“They were like a stampede,” said Nassau Det. Lt. Michael Fleming. “Hundreds of people walked past him, over him or around him.”
Mr. Damour was taken from the Wal-Mart to nearby Franklin Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:03 a.m., the police said.
The NYT said that crowds were allowed to begin forming at 9pm the previous night. The police were called at around 3:30 AM, but were apparently overwhelmed by calls from other stores.
At the time the doors were broken, several Walmart employees, including the one who died, were trying to hold the doors in place but were overwhelmed by the crowd.
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Comments:
Jesus christ, what the hell is wrong with people? Saving $50 on a flatscreen TV is not worth someone dying! Everyone in that store should be brought up on charges; involuntary manslaughter, breaking and entering, and destruction of private property. I doubt I've been more disgusted in my life.
Wow. Are people really that desperate to buy some stupid appliance/t-shirt/razor/electronics? Seriously, people need to chill out over the whole "Black Friday" thing. Thank goodness I do my shopping either on off times when I know there are sales, or on the internet where I can find stuff twice as cheaper.
My condolences to his family, and I hope karma gets those people that broke down that door.
@WiglyWorm: I agree Walmart probably should have hired professional security, but the mob seems far more at fault than the store on this one.
And in California, two men are dead in a shootout at a Toys R Us.
People LOVE to buy crap. The day after Thanksgiving has turned into a Vegas-like experience, where anything people do has an automatic, built-in excuse.
I simply cannot comprehend HOW somebody can calmly step over somebody lying on the ground and go about their business ESPECIALLY in a situation like this. I read that people were getting angry that they *had to leave* once the Police arrived and closed the store because they hadn't finished shopping yet. They didn't give a rats ass that somebody was dead. And people wonder why this world is going to Hell in a handbasket.
Do people not realize the term "Door Buster Sale" wasn't meant to be taken literally? They should use a combination of sales receipts and security footage to prosecute everyone involved. Mob-mentality isn't an excuse for trampling someone to death in order to save $8 on a video game.
@wickedpixel: Oh, without a doubt the mob actions are dispicable and the larger concern here.
This wasn't all that hard to forsee, though. Black Friday has been getting more and more chaotic, and this was only a matter of time. Security should have been present or police on hand. Just because the crowd acted like animals doesn't excuse the fact that the company was also negligent, IMO.
So did they rush into the store because the doors came off, or did they rush in when they were allowed and the doors came off as a result? If it was the latter, then why were they allowed to enter at all?
@karmaghost: Sounds like they were pressed up against the doors in the minutes before the store was about to open - the doors gave, and they stampeded, all before the store officially opened.
here's the thing - you can't JUST blame the shoppers here. Yea, they trampled the guy, and that was extremely irresponsible and horrible of everyone present, but the bigger issue here is how our culture treats Black Friday. Stores hype their deals weeks in advance in some cases. They allow people to stand in front of the store for over eight hours, regardless of weather. What you wind up with is an anxious, tired, hungry, and cold mob. Why do companies do this? Profit. If Wal Mart had sent those people that were lining up at 9 PM last night home, this may not have happened. Sure, let people start lining up at 3 or 4 AM. An hr or two is no big deal, and the corwd most likely won't be as big.... but that would hurt profits now wouldn't it? The end result is one dead employee, and most likely, record breaking profits for that store. It needs to change.
There is no excuse for the actions of customers getting angry for having to leave the store however when you are in a large blob of people you usually cannot move any way but forward.
Even if you wanted to help it would not be a very good idea until the stampede has ended because stopping in the middle of a mob would only cause yourself injury and injury to the people behind you (and in general it would make the effects of the mob much worse). This is what happens when a crowd gets out of control.
When you have a mob it is very difficult for one person or a couple people to step up and try to stop the mob, control the mob or try to do something about what is happening, you pretty much have to wait till the stampede ends. For this reason I cannot put fault on the people in the mob for not trying to help, although they put themselves in that situation when they started lining up at the door and started acting like a mob.
This just proves that humankind will be at its worst when a sale is advertised and that BF is not worth it!
When I heard this it made me want to cry it made me think of the old guys who work the door at my store. It is disgusting that people could keep on trampling and pushing people around instead of stopping to try to help someone in need. I don't know if they were expecting such large crowds (2000 people is a lot of people coming in at once)when opening however they should have planned to have extra security when opening esp when they are letting people line up at 9pm the night before.
Horrifying! I hope they're not the same people who'll be pontificating in a few weeks about the "real meaning of Christmas."
Is there anybody in this entire country who cares about acting sensibly in business or in life?
This is horrible.
Three people dead because of shopping-related insanity.
And Wal-Mart had to have known about the hazards of opening the doors with a crowd of people ready to charge in -
"> this was what happened last year.You can YouTube lots of videos of crazed (and crazy) shoppers beating each other and rioting to get their hands on the latest piece of Chinese-made crap.
No thank you - I'd rather save my money for booze, and if I need to buy something, buy it online.
The managers at Wal-Mart should be charged with inciting a riot. If they can do it to Limp Bizkit at Woodstock, surely it could be applied here.
Later,
Chrome...
That is very screwed up. The guy wasn't even old. I initially pictured an elderly greeter falling to a heart attack.
Perhaps Wally should invest in some rodeo bull gates? It'd protect the employees and give shoppers something to consider.
This is so wrong... people are the cause here, but I blame Walmart. It is possible for a store to organize this event without causing a customer stamped. And if this is what they are up against year after year, they needed to be hiring security.
They'll get hit with a well deserved lawsuit for this...
My God... What a horrible and senseless death. This just proves that if stores run sales and allow people to form a mob, the responsibility to control that mob is on them. If they had security limiting the amount of people that are allowed to enter at one time and rope lines to control the overall mob, this wouldnt have happened. Night clubs do this, and if they didn't they would be held liable. Why not WalMart or anyother retailer?
[rant]
I think just goes to show that a majority of the population is very plain stupid. I mean, yeah lots of hype over this event, but seriously, anyone who is smart enough knows that it isn't worth it when a person is injured. Seriously, anyone with enough sense would not have fallen for this kind of action. This is just stupid on everyone of those shoppers there. I hope everyone of those shoppers that walked on/over/around that employee feels guilt for what they did, at the very least they should all apologize to that guy's family, for he won't be able to spend this holiday or any other holiday with them because those people weren't smart enough to just stop and help because of "savings" on items. I hope when they look at what they were able to purchase that day, they know they killed a guy. When they hand that gift they got that day to their "loved one" that they know there is most likely another family out there without a loved one to give a gift to. In fact, everyone who bought anything, and got their savings from that Wal-Mart should donate their savings to that family for the funeral. It really ticks me off seeing people like this. These people are the first to run away from a conflict, and are usually the first to start the conflict. No responsibility at all...
[/rant]
With this, and console launches, and shootings over these things, I think I'll never participate again in anything like this. I'd rather spend a few more dollars (or shop online for the savings) and know that I have a higher change of surviving the day alive, than fearing of getting into some argument and getting shot or being trampled by "fellow" shoppers. I know there is a huge, large, ginormous number of shoppers who are professional about this, fall in line, and accept what they can get, accept their position. I've seen it, I've been in it, and it's a great experience talking to people about what you want to get. It's the hype that brings fellow shoppers together for a nice experience, it's the start of holiday shopping. This.... this... I just do not understand how this can happen. Really just pushes it over the edge... >.>
@What The Geek: I disagree.
I get the mailers every day in my mailbox about what's going to be on sale. I toss them without looking at them, resenting the waste of paper.
Most people don't give a crap. Look at the comments here. No one is saying they would have done it, too. We're all saying we don't understand how people can get so worked up over saving five stinkin bucks on some useless consumer crap.
I do blame these sheep who did the stampeding. They need some professional therapy or something.
This is why I don't go out shopping on Black Friday. It's gotten to be consumerism gone amok.
While the actions of the mob were horrible, once it starts it cannot end until it dissipates, one should never try to stop in a mob unless they are a football linebacker, you will get yourself trampled. It's just the physics behind it. You've got a hundred people behind you, pushing and shoving, trying to get in. Most people won't be able to provide a force to go against that. Also, I'm guessing people were so packed together they couldn't see down, they probably had no idea that a person was what they were going over. Now, I'm not absolving them of all blame. They lined up there. They acted like animals (the mob instinct is an animalistic instinct of ours). It's just horrible of them. Then to get angry when asked to leave... get over yourself and your saving of your money!
Who is really to blame is the management of the Wal-Mart. I saw in one of the reports of this a sign that said "BLITZ LINE STARTS HERE." Advertising a "blitz line" is a negligent thing to do, especially when how we've been seeing how people have been behaving lately on this day. Also, they should have kept the people well away from the door as to not break it down. Allowing people to push up against a door that's not very strong (these doors are made to swing open upon a bunch of people pushing for emergency evacuation purposes) is just a stupid thing to do. Not only that, you have to line people up! Don't allow them to mob up. That's just flat out asking for trouble.
A friend of mine went to Fry's to get stuff today. He wanted to get a TV, but found a madhouse in their TV department. People were climbing over the shelving units to try and get into the TV nook to save $100 on a TV with no regard for anyone's safety.
I think this insanity really needs to stop. We don't need doorbusters. Spread out the sales. Let's stop the insanity before anyone else gets hurt.
Meg-
Do you know if a legitimate donation fund has been set him for the victims family / survivors?
The disgusting desire to over-consume everything, regardless of need or actual ability (e.g credit), will eventually be the downfall of this great nation.
@corbyz: The marketing tactics I'm referring to, and the portion of our society I'm referring to don't really apply to consumerist readers. Clearly, we make up the minority of the populace. It happens every year. This is the first time I can remember someone getting killed, but it happens every year - people charge in to stores at five in the morning on black friday, and store employees get hurt. I spent eight years in retail, and the only years I didn't see it happen were the years I worked for a home improvement retailer - and that's 'cause they don't really get a huge amount of business on BF.
Just because YOU don't stampede stores due to marketing, and societal pressures doesn't mean it doesn't happen. We (and by "we" I mean consumers and retailers) built black friday up, and it's time we started tearing it down.
I think it's time to look consumerism straight in the eye and say enough. Products don't kill people, people kill people.
I've been in a crowd once where thousands of people pushed forward and it was impossible to stop, go forward, change directions, or do anything other than just go with the crowd and pray you're not trampled. The people in front can't stop. The people in back don't know someone is down up front. It's a truly terrifying situation. (And the fact that I was in this crowd at a Chicago concert only makes the memory scarier.)
WTF is wrong with people? I was at BestBuy all night last night and the line was orderly and humane. And this is considered BestBuy's number 2 store in sales. There were maybe 2 cops there the entire night.
Is it the crowd that shops at Walmart? I myself prefer Target.
@mewyn dyner: Other stores were able to survive just fine, they handed out tickets and some Best Buy's had the corral gates another poster mentioned in order to keep the sanity. They only let a few people in at a time so it did not create the mob that was created here. Letting a large blob of people build up at the doorway is the worst possible thing to do. When your in a mob the only way to go is forward...
A "blitz line" shouldn't really be advertised anywhere a large crowd will gather, because its bound to turn into a mob no matter how well the people are behaving.
I have never participated in any of these events in my life nor a video game console launch (its just a video game system people, not worth freezing over) and I don't plan on it anytime soon. A stampede could be easily prevented at a game console launch, don't release the thing until you have built up enough inventory to satisfy at least a good portion of the demand. If manufacturers continue to release a console when they can only ship 5-6 units to each store on launch day then this will continue to happen.
Marketing and sales" the fall of civilization"...
...hurry, while supplies last! Sales ends now!
@trujunglist: I'm not sure if I could possibly agree with you more. The police should've rounded up every one of the sheeple in that store and then closed it down. They needed to take every one of those soulless soccer moms/dads and impress upon them their very insignificance and that of their families and children in terms of the society as a whole. This is a byproduct (in part) of the I'm special mentality that runs rampant in this country. I wan to be sick, but even more than that I want to line up each of the clowns that rushed that store and trampled another human being under their feet for literally no reason at all (not that their are many good reasons, but it's not as if they were fleeing imminent danger) and hit each of them in the mouth with a crow bar.
To quote fark.com:
The Annual American Running of the Bulls.
Tragic :(
The article states that the store employees called the police at 3:30 am to report the growing crowd. The police came and left, obviously without solving the problem. There seemed to be no crowd control. I think that if those doors hadn't broken, the people at the front of the "line" would have been crushed too. Those shoppers are not killers. This was a freak accident.
I think the police were most at fault for not controlling the situation after they had been called. Hopefully, everyone can learn from this and prepare better next time.
@RomeoCache: If this happened at a rock concert, would the organizers have been arrested? Does the manager bear any similar type of responsibility?
All 2000 people should be arrested and thrown in jail. That is just disgusting.
@What The Geek: Don't be a retard and blame the companies. Blame the managers who decided it would be a good idea to let people rush in as opposed to having customers stream in through well managed lines. They had a similar problem last year as well.
Romeocache: Freak accident? I disagree. That term implies that that this incident could not have been anticipated. We see this year after year where people are squeezed against the doors for these sales. Sooner or later something like this was bound to happen. This one will be settled out of court because it is so obvious that without crowd control, lives are at risk. A couple hundred dollars for police fees would have saved this life. Instead Walmart will pay a few million.
I work at Walmart, have for 3 Christmas' now and no one in my area of Upstate, SC acted like that no one damn time. Perhaps the folks in that area of NY should learn how to act. Pathetic for sure. My heart is wounded for a fellow associate dying in such a tragic and horrible way. G_d Bless him and his family.
I guess he was just a devout employee who failed to realize that he was to use judgment in working at Walmart and that does not include laying down his life. Even 7/11 employees are told to give them the money and not fight back.
The employees judgment, and not Walmart's, is what cost the employee his life along with the animals that trampled him to death.
This is so incredibly appalling. I was thinking that the bad economy might be initiating a change in people during this season where they'd start to value family, community, and charity over rampant crap consumption. But this shows that the altar of consumerism has many worshippers who are indifferent to the sacrifices made at it.
This should be a rallying cry for people to boycott the idea of Black Friday, but I'm guessing it'll simply be forgotten by next year. I feel so terrible for that man's family.
It's these savages who deserve most of the blame, but Walmart should've done more to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. I remember waiting overnight at a Best Buy to pick up a PS3 on the opening day and the manager put a lot of effort and thought into ensuring our safety.
When sheeple act like sheeple, they need to be treated as such. Razor wire, electric fencing, and tear gas would have prevented this.
If they continue to act like sheeple, it's time to put them down with a round.
All I can say is it is truely sad. Thank goodness our walmart is 24hr so we didn't have to worry about stampede just the grabbing when the plastic was cut off the skids. Although a man got hot coffee in his face after he tricked a woman into helping him than he ran off with her trampoline and his.
@Outrun1986: For all of the many, MANY issues with Best Buy, this is the one that I have to say they excel at. They meter how many people can go into the store, they give away tickets for the most popular things and ENCOURAGE people to leave and come back later - like, 11AM - because their item is being held for them. They stay neat and efficent, have store maps, and every employee on the floor.
I've worked at Walmart before, and it's a MESS. Palates of the biggest sales, just scattered around the store - not even on shelves, so people can come and mob from all sides, no crowd control, no tickets, no nothing.
It was frightening. :(
Yes. "Employee is a top concern" said their spokesperson.
Is that why they hired no professional security?
I'm surprised we haven't gotten a "taking it seriously" out of them, but then, we still might as this progresses.