Walmart Stampede

A stampede at the pre-dawn opening of a Long Island, New York, Wal-Mart on Black Friday, November 29, 2008, killed a Wal-Mart employee, 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour, and reportedly caused a female shopper to miscarry.New York Daily News: Worker Dies at Long Island Wal-Mart After Being Trampled (November 28, 2008)

Rather than charging Wal-Mart with a criminal charge in the death, on May 6, 2009, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice accepted an agreement for the retailer to spend $2 million to improve safety at their New York stores.Houston Chronicle: Wal-Mart Pays $2M to Avoid Charges in Death Probe

Walmart Black Friday

The Stampede

A crowd of unruly pre-dawn shoppers reportedly broke the door to the Valley Stream, New York, Wal-Mart off of its hinges, and in the resulting push through the doors a Wal-Mart overnight stock clerk died. Also injured was a pregnant female shopper, who was attended to by paramedics. The paramedics reportedly told her that her baby was lost and there was nothing they could do.New York Daily News: Worker Dies at Long Island Wal-Mart After Being Trampled (November 28, 2008)

Backlash

Long Island police reviewed video footage of the incident with the hopes of identifying those involved. Criminal charges are possible if the shoppers are identified.NY1: Police Investigate Fatal Trampling At Wal-Mart Damour's family has sued the Wal-Mart and the mall where the Wal-Mart is located.MSNBC: Victim's Kin Sue in Wal-Mart Stampede Death (December 3, 2008)

Quotes

"He was bum-rushed by 200 people... 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."—Jimmy Overby, Wal-Mart workerNew York Daily News: Worker Dies at Long Island Wal-Mart After Being Trampled (November 28, 2008)