So Just How Dangerous Did Black Friday Get Around The Country?

Oh, pretty fucking crazy. As expected, consumers flocked to big box retailers to scoop up premium discounts on merchandise for holiday presents. Unfortunately, every year bad things tend to happen when you get thousands of people crowded into tiny spaces.

Here’s a round-up of some of the crimes and general chaotic craziness that occurred:

Via the New York Times:

In Romeoville, outside of Chicago, Mark Turvey, the police chief, said in a televised appearance published by The Chicago Tribune that during an attempted arrest, a police officer shot a shoplifting suspect who tried to drive away, dragging the officer with him in a Kohl’s parking lot on Thanksgiving night. The suspect was not believed to be in serious condition.

The NY Times also reported on a stabbing in Carlsbad, Calif.

A New Jersey man was doused with pepper spray following an argument at a local Walmart.

Richard Ramos allegedly became “belligerent” while arguing with a Wal-Mart shopper over a television around 6:30 p.m., and proceeded to attack a Garfield Police officer when the manager called for help, according to Lt. Martin Gray.

A shopper in Las Vegas was shot in the leg on Thursday evening.

According to police, a man purchased a big-screen television from the Target store near Flamingo Rd. and Maryland Pkwy. While he was trying to unload the TV from his car at a nearby apartment complex, a man approached and confronted him. There was a struggle and the would-be thief’s gun went off striking the victim in the leg.

Two men in Virginia were arrested after a fight over a parking lot space, which quickly escalated into guns because of course.

Sheriff Brian Hieatt tells WVVA it happened in the Walmart parking lot. He says two men, 61-year-old Ronnie Sharp of Russell County and 35-year-old Christopher Jackson of Jewell Ridge in Tazewell County, were arguing over a parking space. This escalated into a threat with a firearm, and then Hieatt says Sharp used a knife to cut Jackson in the arm, slicing down to the bone. Sharp is charged with malicious wounding and brandishing a firearm. Police seized a rifle from him.

Whatever you decide to do for your holiday shopping, everyone, please remember to be safe. Nothing you buy is possibly worth getting physically hurt over.