# Wal-Mart Greeter Killed in Black Friday Stampede **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 28, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811 "2008-11-28T16:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/161 "2008-11-29T08:45:23Z")
> [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](#): > > CBS received raw cellphone video of the attempted resuscitation of the trampled man. I left out the link since it is a bit disturbing. > > [http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f55\_1227894806](http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f55_1227894806) I find the fact that somebody whipped out their phone to video it, pretty damn disturbing. And the laughter in the background. And the snarky comments about the (white) cops not wanting to give the (black) victim mouth-to-mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/162 "2008-11-29T11:52:25Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The news media is telling you that because they’re doing a roaring trade in panic right now. In six months they’ll be back to predicting oil price rises at random and probably a bird flu epidemic or something. > > Unemployment was at 6.5% last month, which is just a hair under what economists call “full employment”. The sky is not falling. The stock market is not the economy. Nobody is repossessing your toilet seat. Depression or no, the bubble has got to burst soon. Black Friday mayhem, Bridezilla weddings, competitive children’s birthday parties…Surely the time is coming when, like with the Tulip Mania, the market will no longer bear this much rampant consumerism. (Right?) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/163 "2008-11-29T12:29:32Z")
> [@astro](#): > > From the NY Daily Times - Jesus Christ…:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/164 "2008-11-29T12:33:30Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Depression or no, the bubble has got to burst soon. Black Friday mayhem, Bridezilla weddings, competitive children’s birthday parties…Surely the time is coming when, like with the Tulip Mania, the market will no longer bear this much rampant consumerism. (Right?) Considering that the basic purpose of the various financial bailout schemes is to encourage and enable us consumers to resume spending like a drunken sailor in New Orleans on Saturday night, I doubt it. Somewhere along the way, we became a nation of which The Price is Right is emblematic. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/165 "2008-11-29T13:14:43Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > IMO, the motive for it doesn’t matter. Whether they were in the store to get bargains or to gun one another down–you don’t bring a gun into a public place like that. The fact that this a huge shopping day just adds ire. > I haven’t followed the story closely (or at all) since it broke, but I hope they ended up just killing each other. Some moron on Free Republic said he would have _fired into the crowd at Wal-Mart after the stampede_. (Yeah, I’ve been reading there a lot lately-it’s just been comedy GOLD ever since the elections.) > [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](#): > > I have one question, aren’t we in the middle of the worst depression since the Great Depression\*? How are any of these people affording to spend anyhow? > > At least that is what the news media has been telling me. That’s probably why they were there at these big sales. My sister works at JC Penney’s at the local mall. There were cars parked in the grass, in the parking lanes, the FIRE LANES, everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/166 "2008-11-29T14:22:47Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > That’s probably why they were there at these big sales. > > My sister works at JC Penney’s at the local mall. There were cars parked in the grass, in the parking lanes, the FIRE LANES, everywhere. This is why I think we might be more screwed eventually than the Great Depression. At least then, people would have had the sense to not line up at all to buy slightly cheaper crap that they couldn’t afford. People weren’t lining up here (or any of the 1000s of other Walmarts) to buy cheaper food, but cheaper electronics. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/167 "2008-11-29T14:22:50Z")
In the NYT this morning comes confirmation the guy who died was a temp, not a Walmart associate. So it is not Walmart’s fault. Benefits? What benefits? === Here is the complete statement from the Walmart site: \*We expected a large crowd this morning and added additional internal security, additional third party security, additional store associates and we worked closely with the Nassau County Police. We also erected barricades. Despite all of our precautions, this unfortunate event occurred. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased. We are continuing to work closely with local law enforcement and we are reaching out to those involved.”\* The police were called at 3.45 or so (from the Times story, from my memory). They sent a guy with a bullhorn. The mall did not provide additional security. The story did not mention any private security or any barricades. Oh well, as long as it is not Walmart’s fault. Besides it was a tragedy. That poor store was closed for a half a day on the busiest day of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/168 "2008-11-29T14:28:28Z")
I have never shopped anywhere on Black Friday…unless (like today) I was out of tampons and stopped at Walgreens on my way to work. I get angry and claustrophobic in crowds. I don’t deal with it. My boyfriend works at Academy…he works opposite hours from me (I bartend) and I just wrote him a quasi-serious note (he will see it when he goes to work) that if mobs storm his store, please hide behind anything available. The guy that died is about a month older than my boyfriend. (He’ll be 34 next month.) That guy had family. Maybe a wife, a girlfriend, maybe kids…certainly people who loved him and will miss him. I don’t understand how anybody ( **BrainGlutton?** ) could find this situation humorous. This isn’t a comedy sketch about something that happened fifty years ago. This happened TODAY. For fuck’s sake. Have a little fucking respect. People suck. And **BrainGlutton** is a fine example of such. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/169 "2008-11-29T14:30:13Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I worked in retail in the 1980’s as a teenager and I do not recall the “holiday shopping season” ever being so unorganised, frantic, or deadly. > > I think the mindsets of people and corporations have changed and combined to infuse this particular brand of selfish capitalism gone awry into people’s accepted behavior. > > It’s sickening, uncalled for, unnecessary and brutal. For material things that ultimately mean squat. It has changed over the years as corporate nitwits who weren’t actually in the stores felt compelled to open earlier than their competitors and offer more early bird sales and promote “get em while they last” but certainly a portion of the blame belongs to ignorant shoppers who let saving a few bucks move them to such abhorrent behavior. I’d like to see some retailer come up with a less stress holiday shopping promotion. We’ll have more good deals spread out over more days and we won’t be open 5AM because we want our employees to spend more time with there families. Cue the employee to hug the exec. They’d probably create an advertising buzz that would make them very memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/170 "2008-11-29T14:33:48Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > In the NYT this morning comes confirmation the guy who died was a temp, not a Walmart associate. So it is not Walmart’s fault. What the hell are you talking about? Of course, it’s partially their fault. Walmart put him in that position; whether he was a temp or a regular store associate is entirely irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/171 "2008-11-29T14:35:31Z")
(I was being sarcastic and failed to make that clear.) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/172 "2008-11-29T14:38:27Z")
Right, then. Sorry. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/173 "2008-11-29T15:32:48Z")
I blame Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/174 "2008-11-29T15:48:20Z")
Wanna bet the phrase “Door-Buster Sales Event” disappears from the advertising lexicon? Because it was a mob action, I don’t foresee anyone paying for this criminally (unless the local DA is a Jack McCoy type who tries to go after the store manager). In general, the retailers are to be blamed for situations like this - their super-special-sale-savings hype is roughly equivalent to the old saw about yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theater. But in this the retailers themselves have been swept up in a sort of mob mentaility involving all large retailers. Everyone is competing tooth and claw for that First Customer of Black Friday. Og knows why. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/175 "2008-11-29T15:55:17Z")
> [@BJMoose](#): > > Wanna bet the phrase “Door-Buster Sales Event” disappears from the advertising lexicon? > Because it was a mob action, I don’t foresee anyone paying for this criminally (unless the local DA is a Jack McCoy type who tries to go after the store manager). You KNOW this will be a plot point in a Law and Order within a few months. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/176 "2008-11-29T16:06:04Z")
Now, Fiveyearlurker, that _was_ funny. And, in BrainGlutton’s defense, if I’d seen this plot on South Park, and the guy getting run over was Kenny, I might have… well, nope, I still wouldn’t have laughed. But I know some people who would have. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/177 "2008-11-29T16:08:36Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And, in BrainGlutton’s defense, if I’d seen this plot on South Park, and the guy getting run over was Kenny, I might have… well, nope, I still wouldn’t have laughed. But I know some people who would have. Maybe what we need for sales events is a sacrificial Kenny. “Go ahead – bust the doors down, just make sure the dude you trample is Kenny.” ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/178 "2008-11-29T16:09:22Z")
This thing happened. It is reasonable to assume such a thing has darn-near happened many times in the last couple of years somewhere in WalMart’s vast corporate empire. They are in the business of running freakishly large stores. Society expects them to know how to do their business safely. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/179 "2008-11-29T16:40:05Z")
Did you catch this half-assed statement from Wal-Mart Corporate? > [@](#): > > Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), based in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a “tragic situation” and said the employee came from a temporary agency and was doing maintenance work at the store. It said it tried to prepare for the crowd by adding staffers and outside security workers, putting up barricades and consulting police. > > “Despite all of our precautions, this unfortunate event occurred,” senior Vice President Hank Mullany said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those impacted.” No “We’re absolutely horrified?” No “We are investigating this incident to see how to prevent it in the future?” All we get is an “oops” and “we did our best.” It sounds like someone had a nice long chat with the corporate lawyers before releasing the statement. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811/180 "2008-11-29T16:45:56Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > I have never shopped anywhere on Black Friday…unless (like today) I was out of tampons and stopped at Walgreens on my way to work. Not that this is the relevant part of your post. But. Around here, if you are a regular at a smaller pharmacy, they will sell you anything over their drivethrough window. Not just prescribed medicines. Just saying. > [@BJMoose](#): > > Wanna bet the phrase “Door-Buster Sales Event” disappears from the advertising lexicon? Or “Blitz”. Or “Heart stopping sales”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-greeter-killed-in-black-friday-stampede/474811.md?page=10)