This story has been floating around the net for a while now. I’m still intrigued by it. I’m going to post the entire story here because I have a feeling that it will vanish from the web sometime in the next 90 days….and someone needs to archive this for posterity’s sake. Read it and then I’ll let you know what I think.

Woman Knocked Unconscious By Wal-Mart Shoppers
Witnesses: Shoppers Stepped Over Woman Having Seizure
POSTED: 6:39 p.m. EST November 28, 2003
ORANGE CITY, Fla. — A 41-year-old woman was knocked unconscious and then trampled by a mob of shoppers who continued to step over her as she suffered a seizure during a Friday sale at Wal-Mart in Orange City, Fla., according to Local 6 News.
Authorities said that Patricia Van Lester arrived at Wal-Mart at 3 a.m. for an early sale on a DVD player for her mother. When the store’s doors opened at 6 a.m., Van Lester grabbed the DVD player but was quickly overcome by hundreds of shoppers rushing into the store.
The woman was knocked to the ground, slammed her head on the ground and suffered at least one seizure, according to Local 6 News.
Her sister watched the incident and tried to stop the crowd as they made their way to the merchandise.
“I screamed, ‘Stop, don’t step on her, my sister is on the ground,’ and nobody would listen,” the woman’s sister, Linda Ellzey said. “I’ve never seen so many people in a store at one time — in one area. If there was a fire, nobody could’ve gotten out of there.”
When Orange City and EVAC paramedics got to the store they found Van Lester lying on her left side on top of the DVD player, surrounded by shoppers seemingly oblivious to the unconscious woman, said Mark O’Keefe, a spokesman for EVAC Ambulance.
Van Lester was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Ellzey said her sister will likely remain hospitalized for days.
Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her.
Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale.
“We are very disappointed this happened,” Burk said. “We want her to come back as a shopper.”

This is the reason why I don’t go out shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. 3AM? She must have gotten up at 2AM in order to get down there. Maybe earlier if she had to come from a far distance. Another news story said the DVD players were the APEX brand and were going for $29 at that particular store. I have one of those DVD players. We got it for around $40 or so a few months ago. Why was any of this so important? Celebrate your Thanksgiving with a rampage at the local Wal-Mart.
Someone on another discussion board suggested this. Go down to the local Walmart on the Friday after Thanksgiving with a video camera. Film any fights that break out among customers over merchandise, who’s first in line…etc. Sell video to local TV station and make $$$.
[Update: December 5, 2003] Actually this lady has filed multipled claims at various businesses over the past several years. She might be a frequent faller.