Blatant acts of consumer desperation in our bleak economy were evident this past Friday on the retail holiday known as “Black Friday”, when shoppers scramble for bargains in the kick off of the holiday shopping season turned deadly.

The first deadly event happened on Long Island, N.Y. where a 6′5″ tall Wal-Mart worker who weighed in at over 270 lbs was trampled by customers who broke through the front door. At least four other people, including a mother who was eight months pregnant at the time, were taken to hospitals.

“Witnesses and the police said the doors shattered, and the shrieking mob surged through in a rush for holiday bargains. One worker, Jdimytai Damour, 34, of Queens, was thrown back onto the black linoleum tiles and trampled in the stampede that streamed over and around him.”

The second deadly event happened at about 11:30 a.m. at a Toys “R” Us in Palm Desert, CA. Two women got into an altercation and the men that they were with, Alejandro Moreno, 39, and Juan Meza, 28, began to shoot at each other.

“After the women began arguing, witnesses said, Meza pulled out a gun. Moreno also pulled out a gun and started chasing and shooting at Meza, witnesses said. Frantic shoppers either dropped to the floor or stormed out of the store.”

Both men shot each other dead.

Check out the original articles here and here.

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