Black Friday Chaos Leads to Shootings, Pepper-Spraying and Protests
Black Friday mayhem has ensued and America’s favorite shopping day is proving to be just as chaotic as in past years.
This year Black Friday started earlier than ever and incidents across the country already managed to spring up in the early hours of the shopping day.
One Los Angeles shopper attacked other perspective buyers with pepper spray at a local Walmart store, injuring 20 people on Thanksgiving Day in what police are calling a fit of "shopping rage."
Another pepper spray incident ensued when an off-duty police officer used pepper spray in Kinston, N.C. while arresting a man for disorderly conduct.
Beyond pepper spray, shootings and other violence have also occurred across the country.
A 55-year-old shopper was shot in a robbery near a Walmart store in Myrtle Beach, S.C., while another shopper was shot and critically injured in San Leandro, Calif. early Friday morning.
Police are currently investigating a possible shooting at a shopping mall in Iowa. Several shootings also occurred in North Carolina and Florida, however, it is not clear if the fired shots reported are linked to Black Friday.
In a Walmart store in Cave Creek, Ariz. an explosive devise was found hidden in a refrigerator in the store break room. The store was immediately evacuated and searched. It reopened late on Thursday evening.
Many also feared that Occupy Black Friday might cause added chaos on the notoriously wild shopping day. Last week, the movement called for a series of protests, marches and flash mobs at retail chains across the country.
Small groups of protesters gathered outside stores and malls across America and a group of anti-greed protesters stood outside the Macy's store in New York City's Herald Square chanting "Occupy it, don't buy it."
However, the movement has thus far not hindered Black Friday shopping and there has been no indication that stores or malls have been taken over by the movement.
