portland independent media center  
images audio video
newswire article reporting united states

corporate dominance | economic justice | labor | no new sprawlmarts

Woman Knocked Unconscious By Wal-Mart Shoppers

This sums up the state of American culture nicely...insane consumerism...don't get in its way or else!
Woman Knocked Unconscious By Wal-Mart Shoppers

Witnesses: Shoppers Stepped Over Woman Having Seizure

ORANGE CITY, Fla. -- A 41-year-old woman was knocked unconscious and then trampled by a mob of shoppers who continued to step over her as she suffered a seizure during a Friday sale at Wal-Mart in Orange City, Fla., according to Local 6 News.

Authorities said that Patricia Van Lester arrived at Wal-Mart at 3 a.m. for an early sale on a DVD player for her mother. When the store's doors opened at 6 a.m., Van Lester grabbed the DVD player but was quickly overcome by hundreds of shoppers rushing into the store.

The woman was knocked to the ground, slammed her head on the ground and suffered at least one seizure, according to Local 6 News.

Her sister watched the incident and tried to stop the crowd as they made their way to the merchandise.

"I screamed, 'Stop, don't step on her, my sister is on the ground,' and nobody would listen," the woman's sister, Linda Ellzey said. "I've never seen so many people in a store at one time -- in one area. If there was a fire, nobody could've gotten out of there."

When paramedics arrived at the scene, they found the woman lying on top of the DVD player among shoppers who seemed to not even notice the unconscious woman on the floor, according to a witness.

Van Lester was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Ellzey said her sister will likely remain hospitalized for days.

homepage: homepage: http://www.local6.com/news/2670095/detail.html

wrestlemania 29.Nov.2003 09:40

H. Hogan

ah yes tis the season, deck your house with lots of goods fa la la la laaaa la la la kick the ass of your fellow shopper fa la la la laaa la la la join us now because its the way fa la la fa la la la la la another example of why the world hates america today fa la la la laaa la la la boughs of holly aint nowhere in site fa la la la laaa la la la gay apparel sales bring a stompin good fight fa la la fa la la la la la

How to Control these Shopping Crowds 29.Nov.2003 10:04

Varro

Pepper spray and rubber bullets - however, I didn't see any riot cops at the malls to control the crowds, and there probably were more incidents like this elsewhere, just not as serious.

Children and elderly people in the crowds? Spray them too, just like the Portland police did with the children at the A22 Bush protest, or the Miami police did with elderly people at the FTAA protests.

Natural Consequences 29.Nov.2003 10:52

Den Mark

The term "natural consequences" fits this scenario just fine. Person who gives not a shit gets trampled by others who give not a shit. I like it. Wal-Fart customers deserve each other. Now let the lawsuits begin!

Shop til you drop 29.Nov.2003 11:03

hypocrite

No the police would never restrain the shoppers responding to the Bush plea for patriotism. Rememeberr when he said the most patriotic thing an American can do is go shopping and buy something. Shoppers supporting the Chinese governments enslavement of the Chinese workers by buying the slave goods from Walmart. Never was the platitude "Shop till you drop" ring truer than in the the greed and selfishness displayed by this crowd.

Was Already Posted 6 Stories Below 29.Nov.2003 12:17

on Portland IMC Newswire

Capitalism's Greatest Hits


memorable quotes 29.Nov.2003 12:59

White Lilac

"All they cared about was a stupid DVD player," she [the woman's sister, who was shopping with her] said Saturday.

Of course, you too cared a lot about a stupid $29 DVD player, enough to camp out at the store at 3 a.m.!

"We are very disappointed this happened," Burk [Wal-Mart spokesperson] said. "We want her to come back as a shopper."

We're not sorry you're injured, we're just sorry you can't continue to shop here while you're in the hospital. Get well soon!

Priceless! 29.Nov.2003 15:41

peter

While the DVD player was on sale, for 29 bucks, this story is priceless! There were a couple of other snipits on the news today of aother incidents at ahopping malls around the country. Plenty of pushing and shoving amoung the masses of american xmas shoppers. I think our society has hit an all time low. However, I think it will get worse before it gets better. The Seattle Times is running a four part story on Wal Mart exposing many of the companies ruthless business practices and labor violations. It's been my observation, that it is not just Wal Mart that is the supplier of goods from China, it's everywhere!

peter

another day of reporting this 29.Nov.2003 22:51

aunt sam

Walmart made 1.52 billion dollars said the TV screeen over and over. It was such a shameless ploy of advertisement before they quickly scewed the facts.
I wonder what Hillary Clinton, walmarts ex lawyer, has to say about that?

Too poor, too poor, too poor to shop anywhere else.

More news from Florida.