Wal-Mart Worker Trampled To Death

Black Friday is that day every year after Thanksgiving where the traditional Christmas season shopping begins. It isn't really a holiday, but has become quite a tradition.

Unfortunately, the day came to a tragic turn when one employee at Wal-Mart in New York's Long Island suburbs was killed by a crowd of shoppers that broke down the doors of the store early this morning and knocking him to the ground. The man was working for a temporary agency and about 2,000 people were waiting outside of the store when it prepared to open.

Employees opened the interior doors and were about to open the main entrance when the crowd knocked the front door off its hinges after surging forward. Some people even continued to shop, despite upset workers trying to get them to leave.

The 34 year-old worker was not identified by police and knocked down shortly after 5 a.m. local time. He was taken to a nearby hospital and was announced dead at 6:03 a.m. and the county medical examiner will determine the cause of his death. The store reopened later and police outside kept the customers in order and some shoppers were trying to enter, not knowing what had happened earlier.

The Long Island outlet incident that killed the temporary employee was a "tragic situation," said the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company. “The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority.”