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Shootings, pepper-spray attack mar Wal-Mart Black Friday sales


bigjimslade

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Yep, my decision to stay home and pay full price turned out to be the best idea I've ever had. My sanity and my physical well-being are not worth $40 bucks. I think I am done with Black Friday for good after reading this.

Same here. I think I will be doing all of my bf shopping online from here on. I have never in all the years of going out for bf seen it like this. It just blows my mind still thinking about it. I got hit in the eye with a Monster High doll box. I have no idea who it was though because people acted like total idiots over those things. I don't know for sure but I hear there was a fight over the towels again this year at my local Walmart.

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This just confirms to me why I always shop at our local Walmart. We live in a small town where we know over half the people in there. Most are civilized, but I heard there was a fight in the towels. We had 6-8 policeman in our Walmart. It is the only major retail store in our town so it was crowded, but not terrible. I would never fight over anything. I go to enjoy the day. I am afraid that there will be a time when BF in stores will be banned and all BF shopping will have to be done online. As much as I enjoy the BF experience that may be for the best.
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We also live in a small town... both my sister and I were not looking for the big items and i was going to need to use layaway so we waited till around 4am to go... when we got there we were the only ppl in the place besides about 100 WM workers... as we wondered around and talk to differnt ppl who work there we were told that 2 different employes were hurt one got her hand broke and another a broken arm...
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It really is kind of sad that these companies know that there is so much risk involved on Black Friday for their employees and customers, yet they don't bring in their own security of some kind for their stores. The local police should be dealing with real emergencies, not a bunch of hateful, selfish idiots at department stores. I know I'd be ashamed if anyone in my family acted crazy like that. And I would probably be the first to turn them in if I found out that they were responsible for that crap. :mad:
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http://rt.com/usa/news/black-friday-newman-police-269/

 

Did you guys see this? I think it's horrible how much force the police used. Don't watch the video if you have a weaker stomach or anything because it does show blood.

 

I can understand both sides though. If he "concealed" the game then I can see how they concluded he was shoplifting; however, that doesn't excuse what they did. I can also see how why the guy did what he did. I wouldn't be thinking "if I tucked this under my arm/in my pocket/etc they might think I'm stealing." It would be more reflex "place item in safe spot & protect my little boy from the crowd"

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http://rt.com/usa/news/black-friday-newman-police-269/

 

Did you guys see this? I think it's horrible how much force the police used. Don't watch the video if you have a weaker stomach or anything because it does show blood.

 

I can understand both sides though. If he "concealed" the game then I can see how they concluded he was shoplifting; however, that doesn't excuse what they did. I can also see how why the guy did what he did. I wouldn't be thinking "if I tucked this under my arm/in my pocket/etc they might think I'm stealing." It would be more reflex "place item in safe spot & protect my little boy from the crowd"

 

this is unforgiveable. i think the police need some sort of reprimand. totally wrong imo.

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I totally agree. I believe the early sales had alot to do with how crazy it was this year.

I agree also... I think it brought out people who normally wouldn't be around Black Friday also. In the past, people were competitive but it was friendly competition not aggressive annihilation. I've had people help hand me things when I couldn't get to the front. People would willingly pass it back and get out of others' way once they got what they wanted. We now have people hording items even if they don't need it just because it's what everyone else wants.

 

Black Friday is much more mainstream and commercialized. I mean it was before but there are always unspoken/unwritten courtesies upheld by people that constantly participate in these types of events. When you get people that don't normally participate get involved, they don't follow those common courtesies.

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I saw people that I know would never have come out at 5:00a.m. I do believe Walmart brought a "new" demographic to shopping last night. I have witnessed many things over the years, and it has not always been "bad" behavior. There were several years that I saw amazing compassionate things. I have seen people give other shoppers doorbuster items from their carts they might of missed to help make a child happy. I have seen able bodied shoppers help less able bodied get their items. I saw no "good will" last night. I don't know if it was the earlier time to start shopping or a simple trend in what to expect, but I will rethink all my shopping next year.
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I saw people that I know would never have come out at 5:00a.m. I do believe Walmart brought a "new" demographic to shopping last night. I have witnessed many things over the years, and it has not always been "bad" behavior. There were several years that I saw amazing compassionate things. I have seen people give other shoppers doorbuster items from their carts they might of missed to help make a child happy. I have seen able bodied shoppers help less able bodied get their items. I saw no "good will" last night. I don't know if it was the earlier time to start shopping or a simple trend in what to expect, but I will rethink all my shopping next year.

I fully agree. It was much nicer than normal in our town- I think it was because everyone was too sleep deprived. I did notice a bunch of people you normally wouldn't. The mall was FULL of teenagers running around unattended, playing 'pranks' on people. There were also a TON of drunks- as many stores open just as the bars are closing. Bars do a lot of business on Thanksgiving. NOT a good mix. I also noticed a lot more people bringing out their kids at Walmart like the 10:00 p.m. time made it okay. There was a very clean cut lady with a baby that couldn't have been a month old in one of those slingshot-looking carriers on her waist in the middle of the $1 Walmart towel rush.

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I also agree with all have said. I wanted to get the xbox bundle and the game plan was for daughter 13 to get it since they pass out tickets, and for me to brave the video game pallet. She decided she wanted to try even though I warned her that people get really nasty. It was a def learning experience for her. She learned that there were kind people when a guy pulled her out from others piling on top of her, and she learned what she thought was a semi pleasant man turned into a monster. He grabbed the games out if her hand, and somehow she got pushed down. She had bruises and scratches on her arm she said from being rescued. the other lady that stood there for 4 hours was trying writing down people's request. It was a "I help you, you help me deal". All very civilize. Her 4 hours of waiting yielded her 1 video game. She literally had someone who put a choke hold on her to yank her out of the way.

 

I don't understand why they can't form lines or pass out tickets. Even though I wouldnt get & hoard the items at least I would know that the time spent yielded something and no one got hurt. I even heard from this guy in line that his friend had snatched 5 xbox games and that he was outside the store trying to sell it. One guy was simply walking around the store with his unbought xbox bundle trying to make a quick $30 (which he did).

 

I don't care if it's normal, right, or it's how life is. Shame on Walmart and shame on those people who would hurt others just to make a few bucks. Shame on me for not staying home and ordering it online. Amazon had the same deal later that night and I actually had it in my basket but obviously didn't need it anymore so I let someone online have it.

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I also agree with all have said. I wanted to get the xbox bundle and the game plan was for daughter 13 to get it since they pass out tickets, and for me to brave the video game pallet. She decided she wanted to try even though I warned her that people get really nasty. It was a def learning experience for her. She learned that there were kind people when a guy pulled her out from others piling on top of her, and she learned what she thought was a semi pleasant man turned into a monster. He grabbed the games out if her hand, and somehow she got pushed down. She had bruises and scratches on her arm she said from being rescued. the other lady that stood there for 4 hours was trying writing down people's request. It was a "I help you, you help me deal". All very civilize. Her 4 hours of waiting yielded her 1 video game. She literally had someone who put a choke hold on her to yank her out of the way.

 

I don't understand why they can't form lines or pass out tickets. Even though I wouldnt get & hoard the items at least I would know that the time spent yielded something and no one got hurt. I even heard from this guy in line that his friend had snatched 5 xbox games and that he was outside the store trying to sell it. One guy was simply walking around the store with his unbought xbox bundle trying to make a quick $30 (which he did).

 

I don't care if it's normal, right, or it's how life is. Shame on Walmart and shame on those people who would hurt others just to make a few bucks. Shame on me for not staying home and ordering it online. Amazon had the same deal later that night and I actually had it in my basket but obviously didn't need it anymore so I let someone online have it.

 

Were you not with her? Our stores had security booting anyone unattended that was under 18 out of the lines until their parents arrived to stand with them.

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http://rt.com/usa/news/black-friday-newman-police-269/

 

Did you guys see this? I think it's horrible how much force the police used. Don't watch the video if you have a weaker stomach or anything because it does show blood.

 

I can understand both sides though.

I couldn't agree more. The video physically shocked me and really made me question BF retail stores. I think I will continue my mainly online approach next year but will still hit JCPenney for snowglobe and maybe a few more stores. I was VERY impressed with how civilized our new Walmart was but I think that was a combination of their 6am opening time, the fact that many people weren't aware or didn't want to brave a new store for BF, the other stores opening earlier and their good security in place. There were cops out in the parking lot, some outsourced security every other line in the entrance maze and then some black outfitted security/loss prevention ppl in the store.

 

To be honest I think I was the most hectic person in the store but that's just the way I am. Even if I am leisurely browsing I do so quickly, it was awful for me to be stuck behind people blocking aisles and I was annoyed but I did not push people over or run into them with the cart.

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Were you not with her? Our stores had security booting anyone unattended that was under 18 out of the lines until their parents arrived to stand with them.

At our store there were tons of kids in line. If I would have gotten a game system, my kids would have been in line for it. I don't have a problem with the kids standing in line. It is probably safer in line for them than it is fighting for games and movies. We also live in a small town and most people are very nice and help each other out. Of course we also have our few idiots. WE did have around 6-8 policeman in the store though. This was actually probably one of the best BFs at Walmart. I still wish they would go back to the 5 am times though.

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