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November 25, 2011 in Business, Nation/World
Violence mars some Black Friday shopping events
San Leandro police officers gather evidence at the scene of a shooting Friday morning at Walmart on Hesperian Boulevard in San Leandro, Calif. Gunfire rang out about 1:50 a.m. and a man was shot in a robbery attempt. Despite major injuries, police said he was in stable condition.
(Full-size photo)
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. — A robber shot a Black Friday shopper who refused to give up his purchases outside a Walmart store, leaving the victim hospitalized in critical but stable condition after one of several violent incidents in California that marred the annual bargain-hunting ritual, authorities said.
Police in San Leandro, about 15 miles east of San Francisco, said the victim and his family were walking to their car around 1:45 a.m. when they were confronted by a group of men who demanded their shopping items. When the family refused, a fight broke out, and one of the robbers pulled a gun and shot the man, said Sgt. Mike Sobek.
“The suspects saw these guys, got out of their car and tried to rob them but were unsuccessful,” Sobek said.
At another Walmart in a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, a woman trying to get the upper hand to buy cheap electronics unleashed pepper spray on a crowd of shoppers, causing minor injuries to 20 people, police said.
The attack took place about 10:20 p.m. Thursday shortly after doors opened for the sale at the Walmart in Porter Ranch in the San Fernando Valley.
The store had brought out a crate of discounted Xbox video game players, and a crowd had formed to wait for the unwrapping, when the woman began spraying people “in order to get an advantage,” police Sgt. Jose Valle said.
“Faces were red,” shopper John Lopez told ABC News Radio. “This one guy was coming up to my wife going, ‘Call an ambulance! Call an ambulance!’”
Ten people were slightly injured by the pepper spray and 10 others suffered minor bumps and bruises in the chaos, Valle said. They were treated at the scene.
The woman got away in the confusion, but it was not immediately clear whether she got an Xbox. If found, she could face felony battery charges, Valle said.
“Walmart is going through register receipts to see if it was purchased,” he said.
In the San Leandro shooting, family members of the victim wrestled down one of the alleged robbers, but at least three others — including the gunman — fled in a car, police said.
Tony Phillips, 20, was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide and attempted robbery and booked into Alameda County jail after being treated at the hospital for minor injuries from the scuffle with the victim’s family, Sgt. Sobek said.
Sobek and jail officials did not immediately know if Phillips had a lawyer.
Investigators were reviewing video from a surveillance camera mounted outside the store. “The footage is a bit grainy, but we’re hoping it gives us a better idea of what happened,” Sobek said.
Witnesses said the Walmart parking lot was crowded with Black Friday shoppers at the time, and the store was briefly closed as police investigated.
Also Friday, a man was stabbed outside a Sacramento mall in an apparent gang-related incident as shoppers were hitting the stores.
The victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The stabbing stemmed from a fight between two groups around 3 a.m. in front of a Macy’s department store at the Arden Fair Mall. The store had opened at midnight to offer shoppers post-Thanksgiving deals.
Richard Swift, a witness, told KCRA-TV that the stabbing involved three men and began when one of them made a comment about women who were with two other men.
No arrests have been made. Police were hoping surveillance video will help identify the suspects.one?’” said Snyder, who found some Barbies and other toys sold out but was still able to find gifts for her three kids.
© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Shadedmuse on November 25 at 1:54 p.m.
BUY NOTHING TODAY do not shop at any retailer in Spokane and send a message to the Spokane economy that making retail a top source for their economic engine is a joke, and is a non growth market of yahks.
lowtechmaster on November 25 at 3:12 p.m.
Greed exists at all levels, not just in the top 1%. Disgraceful!
RedCedar on November 25 at 4:24 p.m.
What about the free socks they were giving away to the first 50 customers at Tri-State in Moscow? Would it have been newsworthy if somebody had maced the other free-sock customers?
Diana on November 25 at 5:51 p.m.
Did you see the video of the shoppers in a Little Rock WalMart rioting over $2 waffle makers?
Nothing celebrates the birth of Christ like stampeding, riots and pepper spray.
Shadedmuse on November 25 at 6:16 p.m.
This is why we must BUY nothing, zero nada zilch Nil and Nothing not an Ott.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on November 25 at 6:21 p.m.
Wafflemaker scuffle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gkywyGoQ2yU#!
Even if you don’t feel like following Shaded’s advice about boycotting all commerce on Black Friday, the potential for violence is another excellent reason to stay home.
Just curious to see what people think: Which Spokane area Wal-Mart is most likely to see a fist fight / pepper spray / taser / stabbing / gunshot incident next Black Friday?
-Valley
-Shadle
-North Division Y
Diana on November 25 at 6:38 p.m.
It breaks my heart that some Chinese kid probably had to pull a double so the woman in the blue t-shirt with the butt crack could get a $2 waffle maker.
She should have rioted over at the belt aisle.
ericdx on November 25 at 7:10 p.m.
Airway Heights - That is where all the REALLY SCARY WalMartians hang out at…
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on November 25 at 8:10 p.m.
^ oh right. Airway Heights. I knew there was another one, but couldn’t remember where.
Shadedmuse on November 25 at 8:49 p.m.
I say North Idaho Walmarts are most likely to have fights.