Suspects Sought in Trampling Death of Wal-Mart Employee

The American ritual of Black Friday has grown to rival that of Thanksgiving itself. People wait in line for hours in the middle of the night so that they can get first crack at the promotional sales that are offered by major retailers around the country. Being one of the first to get into a Wal-Mart, Target or Best Buy might earn one the right to purchase a flat-screen TV for under $500 or a digital camera for less than $100. These once-a-year deals, relentlessly promoted by the stores and the media, drive American consumers into a frenzy in greater numbers every year. Even amidst one of the most significant economic crises in history, Black Friday sales managed to exceed expectations.

At a Long Island Wal-Mart on Friday, the ugly side of Black Friday emerged - and an innocent worker was killed as a result. Video cameras captured the stampede that knocked Jdimytai Damour to the ground after he opened the doors to a shopping mob at 5AM on Friday morning. Damour was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead at 6AM. At this point, the cause of death is still not known. Other employees tried to reach Damour after he had been trampled, but the ongoing stampede of over 2000 shoppers simply stepped over his body and kept streaming into the store.

Wal-Mart released information indicating that Damour was a temporary employee, likely hired to help with the increase in business during the holiday season. Wal-Mart cited its attempts to prepare for the Black Friday onslaught by constructing barriers and consulting with local police. Unfortunately for Wal-Mart, and more importantly for Damour and his family, American consumers will not be stopped from once-a-year sales prices on Black Friday - even if they have to kill someone to get them.