OT/MISC Memphis Shoppers Use Pepper Spray, Tasers in Black Friday Lines

[Barry Natchitoches]

Out Of Control Shoppers Crowd Toys "R" Us


FAST FACTS:

Tense moments for shoppers at Toys "R" Us at Wolfchase overnight.
Many were so eager to get in and get the deals they caused some drama for Memphis police.
Toys "R" Us was just one of the many places that had their doors open early this morning.

(Memphis 11/27/09) "It was pretty calm until about a half hour before it opened. People started pushing. Trying to shove in and everything," is what one shopper recalls from outside the Toys "R" Us at Wolfchase overnight.

It was high drama. The store opened its doors at midnight, but a line formed outside the store hours before. When a group of shoppers tried to cut in that line, the drama started and ended with one shopper lashing out at another.

"All these folks been over here since seven and all these other people showed up. [People had] tasers and sprayed some lady with a baby," said Yolanda Curry.

Police say that no one was arrested or seriously injured. It was a different story across the street at the mall when stores opened hours later.

"Pretty calm. We skipped Target and Walmart because it was a mad house so we skipped that and just came on to the mall," said shopper LaTosha Ziegler.

Police are warning everyone to be safe while shopping. They are advising stow it don't show it. Firefighter Bobby Qualls did just that. "Got everything I needed plus a TV that I didn't want, but it was a deal so I got it," said Qualls.

A TV, a tool set and other goodies all had to be stashed in Quall's truck. He was making sure it was out of sight, since he had plenty of other store openings on his agenda.

"I'm timing them, where they open at four and five and six," Walls added.

Police are also warning to carry only what you need.

From wreg.com

[Kent]

Did the people in line use spray on people trying to jump line, or did the people trying to jump in line use in on the people already in line?

[Barry Natchitoches]

Originally Posted by Kent

Did the people in line use spray on people trying to jump line, or did the people trying to jump in line use in on the people already in line?

Despite the fact that this happened only a couple of miles from my home, the fact is that I only know what the news report said. I don't know the answer to your question.

[Barry Natchitoches]

Toy store crowd raucous; stories differ on outcome

By Clay Bailey
Updated Friday, November 27, 2009

Toys R Us turned into Crowd B Raucous this morning.

Memphis police said the Black Friday buyer bickering apparently didn’t reach the level of some reports. There were no injuries, and no arrests, according to a lieutenant.

But several customers in line said an episode at the store near Stage and Germantown Parkway got out of hand when a group of late-arrivals gathered in the parking lot “with the obvious intent of bum rushing the line.”

“The crowd in line tried to form a barricade of shopping carts to stand behind,” said customer Allen Bailey of Cordova in an e-mail to The Commercial Appeal. “One lady about 10 ahead of us had a taser and was holding it up and letting it crackle. The crowd forming of line crashers laughed at the policeman and told them that one policeman couldn't stop them.”

Others commenting on The Commercial Appeal’s website substantiated the problems at the store.

“As the original queue and the maybe 300 queue jumpers all collided, people were getting squashed and screaming,” said one commenter. “An old lady in front of me was squashed between two shopping carts and was screaming, and a pregnant lady behind me was in tears as she was trapped.”

Calls to the Toys R Us store on Giacosa Place went unanswered this morning.

Memphis police said they were at the store about midnight to quell the rumbling and grumbling from those who had been in line for hours seeking door buster bargains.

Lt. Chuck Gentry of the Memphis Police Department’s Appling Farms Station said no one was arrested, no one went to the hospital, and no one was injured. He’s not aware of any customers tasing anyone. And, he said, police didn’t take any such action. The officers don’t carry tasers, and there were no reports of them needing to spray anyone in the crowd.

He said the officers were trying to make sure the crowd moved into the store in an orderly fashion.

“Just a lot of happy, cheerful shoppers in the holiday spirit,” Gentry said.

Bailey disputed the police downplaying of the events. He said those in line for hours before the opening were orderly, but he could see the problems looming as another group began milling in the parking lot away from the original line. One officer was there, but, according to Bailey, the officer apparently did not call for backup until the door-crashers caused a near riot when they tried to break in line as the store opened.

Soon after, more police cars arrived.

Bailey said his wife suffered a sprained ankle when she was shoved by the door-crashers. He was pepper-sprayed during the opening onslaught by another customer trying to thwart one of the late-arrivals.

“My face was on fire the half hour I had to wait in line for the electronics counter, and there were several other customers who had been in line that had been pepper sprayed,” Bailey in an e-mail.

“So I am never going to (do) this again. ... I was in agony for hours last night from pepper spray, and my wife is probably going to have to go to the orthopedist for her ankle.”

Later this morning, Bailey’s burning face had cooled, and he was trying to figure out where to take his wife to have her ankle checked.

He said if people act like this for a toy, he’s really concerned how they will react if there is a natural disaster.

“They should have had some sort of line system, so people couldn’t just storm the line,” he said of this morning’s chaos. “They obviously needed more security, and that was obvious at 11:30 (p.m.).”

-- Clay Bailey


BTW: Locals know that Memphis PD will LIE THROUGH THEIR TEETH when local leaders want to keep a story quiet.

And they definitely want to keep this story quiet, because Wolfchase draws shoppers from three different states and lots of different west Tennessee counties - folks who could just as easily shop locally or shop online instead of coming to Wolfchase and dropping their money where they can pay the city 9.25% sales tax.

And believe me, Memphis WANTS that sales tax that those "foreigners" spend at that particular shopping center! That shopping center brings in maybe as much as 20% of the total sales tax collected in the entire county over an entire year. They cannot afford for people to decide to shop in their own local areas or on the net -- where they will not be able to collect that tax money...

[Kent]

Bailey said his wife suffered a sprained ankle when she was shoved by the door-crashers. He was pepper-sprayed during the opening onslaught by another customer trying to thwart one of the late-arrivals

OK, it looks like the liners sprayed the jumpers, oh well, could be worse.

He said if people act like this for a toy, he’s really concerned how they will react if there is a natural disaster.

Oh yeah!

[mistaken1]

Black Friday is the holiest of the holy days for the worshipers of the almighty dollar. Worshipers get up early or stay up all night to out-worship other adherents of their religion at their local temples of commerce. Sometimes the worshiping reaches such a frenzy that worshipers are hurt by other worshipers fearing they will not get a chance to worship properly on Black Friday. - trikopedia

[hrspwr]

"shopper LaTosha Ziegler"

[G-Man]

[Volleyball Granny]

Originally Posted by Kent

Bailey said his wife suffered a sprained ankle when she was shoved by the door-crashers. He was pepper-sprayed during the opening onslaught by another customer trying to thwart one of the late-arrivals

OK, it looks like the liners sprayed the jumpers, oh well, could be worse.

He said if people act like this for a toy, he’s really concerned how they will react if there is a natural disaster.

Oh yeah!

Can anyone say "cell phone pics"? I would have taken a pic of the person aiming at me with pepper spray--and sued their butts. Same for the wife's ankle. However, hindsight is 20/20 vision...he was probably just trying to protect himself.

I certainly agree with that last statement...when my friends say I'm getting to caught up in prepping, I just tell them that people are crazy and I don't want to be out shopping for groceries during an emergency!

[Rex Jackson]

Just as I figured. All the sheep. What is a matter with some people.

[ShakinSouth]

When toys for a child are more important than a child's rearing and education...there is a major, major problem. People willing to fight for toys, but not for anything else. We are in so much trouble.

[hrspwr]

Holy carp, I thought James Brown was dead but there he is right in the middle. I feel good,

[Mrs Smith]

Dag, Gman, what country do you live in?

Those pictures sure don't look like they were taken in the US.

[Dennis Olson]

Looks like freakin' Malaysia or Thailand. When the hell did the US become a Turd Whirled sh*t-hole country...?

[Harbinger]

“The crowd in line tried to form a barricade of shopping carts to stand behind,” said customer Allen Bailey of Cordova in an e-mail to The Commercial Appeal. “One lady about 10 ahead of us had a taser and was holding it up and letting it crackle. The crowd forming of line crashers laughed at the policeman and told them that one policeman couldn't stop them.


And the mop mentality comes to life over kids toys and electronics! Think how bad it will be when the stores stop receiving food!

[dissimulo]

Yeesh. All that for cheap plastic crap from China.

[frazbo]

And that's why we are what we are and do what we do, and they are what they are and do what they do. Memphis...ugh! Been there and don't even want the t-shirt.

[Technomancer]

Having lived in the Memphis (some have taken to calling it Memfrica/Memphrica) area for quite a time over the years, I have to say I'm actually surprized that there werent any shootings or at the least news of big fights all over.

[DazedandConfused]

Just wait till the long line is for the last loaf of bread or a can of beans!!!!

[Loon]

Makes me glad I'm a catalog and internet shopper. You couldn't pay me to get in that crowd.