Black Friday is coming up, and we all know what that means: crazy shoppers who are willing to do whatever it takes to get that one appliance for 50-percent off.
Here’s a look back at some drama that happened over the past few Black Fridays:
1. Wal-Mart employee trampled to death
In 2008, shoppers at a Long Island Wal-Mart rushed into the store and trampled to death 34-year-old employee Jdimytai Damour.
The crowd of approximately 2,000 reportedly chanted “push the doors in” and forced its way in around 5 a.m., the scheduled opening time. Even the police officers who arrived to help Damour were stepped on, said a cop at the scene.
2. Pregnant woman miscarried
At the same fiasco where the Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death, four others were injured, including a woman who was eight months pregnant. She was knocked down and later taken to a hospital, where she miscarried.
3. Woman pepper-sprayed other shoppers to get X-Box
In 2011, a woman pepper-sprayed other shoppers at a Los Angeles-area Wal-Mart in an attempt to get an Xbox for herself.
The Wal-Mart opened at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. Employees brought out a crate of discounted Xbox video game systems, and a crowd quickly formed to wait for the grand unwrapping, prompting the woman to pull out her pepper spray.
Her attack injured 20 people. She later turned herself in to authorities.
4. Two men shot to death in Toys R Us
On a 2008 Black Friday morning, two women apparently started arguing and punching each other in a California Toys ‘R’ Us store. Then, the men they were with also began arguing. According to witnesses, the men pulled out handguns and started firing at each other. Both men were killed in the fight.
City officials said the fight was not over a toy, and may have been related to rival gang activities.
5. Woman tries to cut in line at Toy R Us, threatens to shoot other shoppers
A 21-year-old woman was arrested in 2010 after she threatened other shoppers who were waiting in line outside of a Madison, Wisc. Toys ‘R’ Us.
Just after the store opened at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, the woman tried to cut to the front of the line, and made threats to get a gun and shoot other shoppers when they objected to her dishonesty.
No gun was found on her, but the young woman was arrested for disorderly conduct.
6. Collapsed, dying man stepped over and ignored
61-year-old Walter Vance was Black Friday shopping in 2011 around 12:15 a.m. at a West Virginia Target when he collapsed and fell to the floor. Witnesses said shoppers either ignored Vance or simply stepped over his body.
The pharmacist had a previous heart condition and later died in the hospital.
7. Wal-Mart closes down after fighting, screaming
To avoid the dangers of a mad stampede (as seen in the 2008 death of a Wal-Mart employee), one California Wal-Mart in 2009 decided to stay open throughout the night and have shrink-wrapped items that would be opened at 5 a.m. However, impatient customers began ripping open the items early. Employees called the police and kicked out customers for over two hours.
While they cleaned up inside, employees said they heard customers yelling and screaming. Customers also pounded on the glass doors and tried to sneak into the store.
Moral of the story: Don’t go to Wal-Mart on Black Friday. Or Target, or Toys ‘R’ Us. Why not nab great shopping deals online, while staying safe and comfortable at home in your pajamas?