You knew it would happen. When a company as controversial as Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has one of its employees killed in a Black Friday melee, it's only a matter of time before the company starts getting the blame.Long Island police and a lawyer hired by the deceased worker's family have concluded that the company should have had better crowd control.
"Hundreds of stores around the country have these kinds of sales, but a tragedy only happens if you don't prepare," attorney Jordan Hecht told (subscription required) The Wall Street Journal. "You need to have people line up in a queue in an orderly fashion, with people giving them updates."
Wal-Mart defended itself by saying that it had set up barricades, hired third-party security guards and had extra staff on hand.
And what of the police's contention that the security was inadequate? It turns out that the police were called to the store before the victim was trampled to death because of the large crowds, but they quickly left before the doors opened. (Read more about that in this Newsday story.) So the police seemed to think everything was fine at the time but are now blaming inadequate security after the fact. I'm not sure that makes sense.
The real blame here falls on the people who trampled someone to death. The victim's family should sue Wal-Mart for whatever they can get, but it's pretty tacky for the police to be blaming Wal-Mart for a tragedy that happened after they left.



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-02-2008 @ 1:54PM
John said...
Walmart is responsible period.
12-02-2008 @ 2:29PM
TEXAN said...
Sure, John. Sam Walton himself stomped on the employee. Sheeeesh.
The employee took it upon himself, honorably, to try to protect an 8 month pregnant woman from getting hurt (why was SHE at this crowded sale????) when he fell and was trampled. WalMart merely held a sale, did the best that normal folks could be EXPECTED to provide for safety and security....and a WILD CROWD OF THOUGHLESS BUYERS TRAMPLED THIS POOR GUY. WalMart be darned. Sue the citizens of New Jersey for not caring who or what got damaged, as long as they got cheap stuff.
12-02-2008 @ 2:39PM
jim said...
I think what really matters here is someone lost their life because of greed the judge should make the person or people shopping put that on the gift (this present cost a young man his life..
this was nothing more than pure greed,now the family wants more greed ,money will never bring back your loved one .the only peace you get is from God knowing your family member died saving two lives..........
12-02-2008 @ 2:45PM
mauricio lopez said...
The Police is UNION of course they are going to blame WalMart; it could NOT be their fault; UNIONS ARE NEVER AT FAULT!!! no matter what this is what they have rigged in Congress with their "buddies" the Democrats!!
All the Union guys have to do is cash their checks, that is the only thing they are responsible for!!
12-02-2008 @ 3:35PM
denise said...
The ppl in line @ walmart, were at fault. U know who u were. As walmart is also . They knew what the crowd was like outside of the store. God bless the family of the victim.
12-02-2008 @ 3:39PM
paul said...
Hey let's blame President Bush. He caused deflation and therefore caused the mad rush and Wal-Mart to lower their prices. What about people being civil to one another.It's Wal Mart's fault because they have lots of money and we can all sue them if we get the chance.
12-02-2008 @ 3:44PM
JOE-JOE said...
blame the stampeding herd of savage animals !!!!!!!
12-02-2008 @ 4:02PM
Michael said...
The only ones at ' fault ' are the people who busted the door down and killed this poor man by heedlessly trampling him to death - anyone who sees it different obviously has an agenda
12-02-2008 @ 5:00PM
Panapada said...
In Arizona, by law, a private owned road construction company had to hire off-duty uniformed police officers to direct traffic at road construction sites. These officers were paid very high salaries by law. But the city crews and state highway department could work on roads with only signs telling the public a lane was closed etc. Maybe the police want to be paid to provide crowd controll at high pay rates from Wal*Mart.
12-02-2008 @ 6:19PM
CASHMANBNN said...
TACO BELLS NOT PAYING WELL EH LOPEZ. HOW IN THE HELL CAN U DRAG THE UNION INTO THIS? GO DEMS-GO UNION-FU SEE PANCHO VILLA...TELL HIM HI!
12-02-2008 @ 6:35PM
Iridium said...
The crowd was made up of people that do not think for second about hurting others. A group that has thrown morality and family values out the window a long time ago. Saving $1 on a DVD means more than waiting to let a person go by you. If you have to hip check them into a shelf then so be it.
Watch the tape and you will see.
12-02-2008 @ 7:23PM
KEN said...
the police and FBI should get all the film footage they can and blow it up get it as clear as possible and get as many people as they can identified and prosecute them for involuntary manslaughter. People had to have known they were stepping on someone when you cannot feel the floor but feel a person and you just keep going you are negligent plain and simple as that just plain old greedy people this is what the world has been coming to for years people know a day's are so ignorant driving, in line's, in store's, everywhere ! It isn't even funny anymore it is really sad what people have turned into it is either money money money sue sue sue or me me me is all that matters
12-02-2008 @ 11:46PM
MizFreeze said...
The problem is that there is some type of incident every year on Black Friday at a WalMart. Obviously this is the most tragic. But for the last 4 years someone has gotten hurt.
12-03-2008 @ 2:55AM
Christian said...
How on earth can a company blitz the airways with advertisements telling customers to “be the first in line” and “shop early” for Black Friday and offer a limited amount of items knowing it will create a frenzy then say, “Well, what had happened was….”. Wal-Mart should have either instructed its team on safety and/or provided for more safety for either its team or customers. It is a much said situation. If Wal-Mart truly felt the customer where to blame then why are they not going after them? What employer would allow their employee to be killed and not go after them? Sick company!
12-03-2008 @ 7:33PM
ray burger said...
In this country it is the same story over and over again: " sue the guy with the money". Individual responsibility in these situations doesn't enter into the equation. Shame on all of us.
12-03-2008 @ 8:37PM
craig said...
life is more important than saving a few dollars at the cash register shame on the fools that didnot care about nothing but saving some change is this the true meaning off X-MAS? SHAME SHAME SHAME
12-04-2008 @ 2:20PM
vocalvixen said...
I have to agree with Mizfreeze. I worked in retail for 15 yrs, and Walmart has had an incident EVERY YEAR on black friday. The people who rushed the doors were to blame, but maybe WALMART should change the way they handle their sale (give tickets out for low stock items, dont have them as grab n go ) so that people wont be as quick to rush the doors for that $10 dvd player or cheap computer. Best Buy has similar items for sale, and they never have a problem. In fact, after walmart's issues, they only let in 20-30 at a time when they open on black friday to control the crowds. I refused to go on BF to walmart when my mom wanted to go because I knew it would be a risk.....unfortunately, I was correct.
12-16-2008 @ 4:27AM
ALMA said...
WALMART DOESNOT CARE ABOUT NOBODY TRUST ME
12-16-2008 @ 4:30AM
ALMA said...
I WORK PRESENTLY WITH WALMART AT JERSEY SHORE.I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES MANAGEMENT SUM ARE GREAT AND THE ONES THAT ARE NOT ARE THERE GROUP OF SALES FLOOR FOLKS THEY GIVE ROYAL TREATMENT TO AND SUM THEY TREAT LIKE THEY DO NOT CARE IM NOT HAPPY AT ALL WORKING THERE BUT SINCE IM SEMI DISABLE LIV ALONE AND RENT N BILLS HAV TO BE PAY I MUST SHUT UP AND CHUGGLE IT UNTIL I CAN FREE MYSELF FROM THIS NITEMARE
12-30-2008 @ 2:23AM
America said...
Jim, would you get off the signature of death. You have "used" it long enough. You are clearly one that never assumes reponsibilty of "yourself". You might very soon need to answer your own actions. Tisk, Tisk.