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.
"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."
Despicable.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
Are we such shallow people in this country that we would kill others to get to some crappy piece of Chinese merchandise to celebrate a once Christian holiday?
Again, what is wrong with you soul-less murderers?
Did you feel good with yourself once again when you were able to get that trinket you fought for, as you saw the ambulance leave with the dead body?
If this is the outcome of "Black Friday" because Americans cannot act civil, then perhaps they should be stopped.
Walmart will probably be held somewhat responsible for this..but all of you murderers who walked over this person should do some healthy prison time. You ripped the doors from the hinges.
You are not humans, you are animals.
This is outrageous.
