Black Friday: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

This past Black Friday was the most successful Black Friday of all time, which is good news for retailers, but people were pepper sprayed, shot and trampled in the process. 

Sales this past year were up 6.6% and over 11 billion dollars worth of merchandise was moved, but there were some people who were not in the holiday spirit.

Porter Ranch, California - Around 10:10pm, the Black Friday deals had just started and one woman wanted an XBox and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her. In her attempt to try and clear a path, she pepper sprayed people who got in her way. In all, 20 people were injured but she did get her XBox. However, she won't be able to enjoy it any time soon. She surrendered to the police on Saturday and is facing a battery of charges.

Little Rock, Arkansas - Another Black Friday disaster at Walmart happened when shoppers were fighting over a waffle maker. In this video, you can see shoppers in a near riot trying to grab the waffle maker. The deal? $2 off.

Buckeye, Arizona - Again, at a Walmart a 54 year old man was browsing the video game section with his grandson. He was trying to protect his grandson from getting trampled and Grandpa ended up getting his face broken instead.  Grandpa saw the mob coming, put the game in the waistband and lifted his grandson up so the crowd wouldn't stomp on the child. Store security thought Grandpa was shoplifting, so they grabbed him and slammed him and the child to the ground. Grandpa's face started bleeding and he is facing charges of shoplifting and resisting arrest. You can read the entire story and see the video HERE.

Chapmanville, West Virginia - 61 year old Walter Vance was shopping at a Target store when he started having chest pains. He collapsed of an apparent heart attack and as he lay dying, other shoppers just stepped over him and continued shopping. A group of nurses who happened to see what was going on did stop to help him. Walter was sent to the hospital where he later died.

San Leandro, California - Outside of a Walmart, a 20 year old man decided he didn't want to wait in line and instead just waited in the parking lot for shoppers to head back to their cars. When he saw what he wanted, he robbed them at gunpoint. When one man wouldn't give up the merch, the robber shot him. He survived and is being treated for a gunshot wound. The suspect was arrested and is facing attempted robbery and attempted murder charges.

New York City, New York - Shoppers lined up before midnight Thanksgiving night outside a Hollister store in the SoHo neighborhood in Manhattan. The store was supposed to open at 10:00am on Friday, but by 1:15am the angry mob outside decided that they had waited long enough and broke down the doors. Shoppers looted the place and workers inside were powerless to stop it. Police are reviewing the security tapes for suspects and one officer said that the most frightening part is that people are just browsing through the clothes as if they are shopping at their leisure.

Palm Beach, Florida - A Target employee had celebrated Thanksgiving with her family and then headed off to work to help out with their midnight Black Friday opening. She headed for home at 7am on Friday and ended up falling asleep at the wheel and driving into a canal. She couldn't swim, but was able to escape her sinking vehicle and call the police. When they arrived, she was clinging to her car and officers did fish her out.

Is this worth it?