2 dead after shooting in crowded Toys 'R' Us - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

ABlairican Pie · 11-29-2008, 03:11 PM

MSNBC.com

2 dead after shooting in crowded Toys 'R' Us

Black Friday fight between female shoppers sparks gunbattle in Calif. outlet

The Associated Press
updated 6:47 p.m. PT, Fri., Nov. 28, 2008

PALM DESERT, Calif. - Two men pulled guns and shot each other to death in a crowded toy store Friday after the women with them erupted into a bloody brawl, witnesses said. Scared shoppers fled but no one else was hurt.

The violence erupted on Black Friday, the traditional post-Thanksgiving start of the holiday shopping surge, but authorities indicated the shooting wasn't related to a shopping frenzy.

Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said the fight was not over a toy. He said handguns were found by the men's bodies, but he released little other information. He would not answer a question about whether the shooting was gang-related.

Witnesses Scott and Joan Barrick said they were checking out of the store when the fight began between two women, each with a man. The women were near the checkout area, but the Barricks did not think the women had purchases.

'I didn't want to die today'
One woman suddenly started punching the other woman, who fought back as blood flowed from her nose, Scott Barrick, 41, said.

The man who was with the woman being punched pulled a gun halfway out of his pocket, then shoved it back in, he said.

"He pulled his gun right next to me. I turned to look for my wife, and she was already hiding," Barrick said.

"I was scared," said Joan Barrick, 40. "I didn't want to die today. I really didn't want to die today, and I think that's what we were all thinking."

The other man pulled a gun and pointed it at the first man but forgot to **** it, Scott Barrick said. The first man tried to run but was blocked by the line of people, then ran back toward the store's electronics section as the other man fired his gun, he said.

The first man reached a dead-end in electronics, turned around and ran toward an exit, pulling his gun and firing back, he said.

"He went up to the cash register, he went to put his hand on the thing and he just went phoomp," he said, indicating the man fell.

He said he did not see what happened to the other man.

Palm Desert Councilman Jim Ferguson said police told him two men with handguns shot and killed each other.

"I think the obvious question everyone has is who takes loaded weapons into a Toys "R" Us?" he said. "I doubt it was the casual holiday shopper."

Ray Turner, 20, said he was two aisles away when two women began shouting and screaming at each other and he had a clear view of the fight until a crowd clustered around them. Both women had children, he said.

"We thought it was just a fight and then someone yelled, 'He's got a gun. He's got a gun.' You really couldn't see nothing because there was a crowd," Turner said.

'We got lucky'
Rafael Gomez, 11, said he and his father had been in the store about 20 minutes before the shooting but were in a nearby Pizza Hut when they saw people pouring out of the store screaming.

"We just saw them running and crying. I was kind of scared," Rafael said. "We got lucky."

Toys "R" Us issued a statement expressing outrage over the violence.

"We are working closely with local law enforcement officials to determine the specific details of what occurred," the statement said. "Our understanding is that this act seems to have been the result of a personal dispute between the individuals involved. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to associate the events of today with Black Friday."

The Barricks and others remained at the scene long after the shooting because investigators would not allow cars to be taken from the parking lot until a crime-scene reconstruction was completed.

Palm Desert is a resort town about 120 miles east of Los Angeles.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

MonarC · 11-29-2008, 04:19 PM

ABlairican Pie · 11-29-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonarC

Exactly, what nutcases go shopping for toys with freaking LOADED WEAPONS??!!

Cleanup on Aisle 7...

MonarC · 11-29-2008, 04:24 PM

I feel sorry for their kids, unfortunately they are victims here too.

Hollow · 11-29-2008, 04:32 PM

wow, i do not envy the janitors there.

Chocoholic · 11-29-2008, 04:50 PM

I've said it before and I'll say it again. People have lost all respect for anyone but themselves

TJL · 11-29-2008, 07:06 PM

And they wonder why people shop online.

InspectorExstead · 11-29-2008, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

Exactly, what nutcases go shopping for toys with freaking LOADED WEAPONS??!!

EXACTLY.

littlebelle · 11-29-2008, 08:34 PM

This is ridiculous. Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and unfortunately it has turned into a mass merchandised holiday.

catlover79 · 11-29-2008, 09:00 PM

Horrible!

Lee · 11-29-2008, 09:16 PM

I don't think Black Friday was the cause of this, as Toys R Us has said.

littlebelle · 11-29-2008, 11:11 PM

I'm not only talking about this event. I'm also referring to the people that were TRAMPLED to DEATH by ****ing insane holiday shoppers, and the people that broke down the glass @ that Wal-Mart. People are ****ed up.

catlover79 · 11-29-2008, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebelle

This is ridiculous. Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and unfortunately it has turned into a mass merchandised holiday.

My sentiments exactly.

catlover79 · 11-29-2008, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonarC

I feel sorry for their kids, unfortunately they are victims here too.

They're the REAL victims.

tv star collector · 11-30-2008, 09:57 AM

After reading about this and the Wal-Mart incident, I'm sort of glad to be
broke this Christmas!

As someone here said, if you must shop--shop online. It's safer.

11-29-2008, 03:11 PM	#1
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	2 dead after shooting in crowded Toys 'R' Us MSNBC.com 2 dead after shooting in crowded Toys 'R' Us Black Friday fight between female shoppers sparks gunbattle in Calif. outlet The Associated Press updated 6:47 p.m. PT, Fri., Nov. 28, 2008 PALM DESERT, Calif. - Two men pulled guns and shot each other to death in a crowded toy store Friday after the women with them erupted into a bloody brawl, witnesses said. Scared shoppers fled but no one else was hurt. The violence erupted on Black Friday, the traditional post-Thanksgiving start of the holiday shopping surge, but authorities indicated the shooting wasn't related to a shopping frenzy. Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said the fight was not over a toy. He said handguns were found by the men's bodies, but he released little other information. He would not answer a question about whether the shooting was gang-related. Witnesses Scott and Joan Barrick said they were checking out of the store when the fight began between two women, each with a man. The women were near the checkout area, but the Barricks did not think the women had purchases. 'I didn't want to die today' One woman suddenly started punching the other woman, who fought back as blood flowed from her nose, Scott Barrick, 41, said. The man who was with the woman being punched pulled a gun halfway out of his pocket, then shoved it back in, he said. "He pulled his gun right next to me. I turned to look for my wife, and she was already hiding," Barrick said. "I was scared," said Joan Barrick, 40. "I didn't want to die today. I really didn't want to die today, and I think that's what we were all thinking." The other man pulled a gun and pointed it at the first man but forgot to **** it, Scott Barrick said. The first man tried to run but was blocked by the line of people, then ran back toward the store's electronics section as the other man fired his gun, he said. The first man reached a dead-end in electronics, turned around and ran toward an exit, pulling his gun and firing back, he said. "He went up to the cash register, he went to put his hand on the thing and he just went phoomp," he said, indicating the man fell. He said he did not see what happened to the other man. Palm Desert Councilman Jim Ferguson said police told him two men with handguns shot and killed each other. "I think the obvious question everyone has is who takes loaded weapons into a Toys "R" Us?" he said. "I doubt it was the casual holiday shopper." Ray Turner, 20, said he was two aisles away when two women began shouting and screaming at each other and he had a clear view of the fight until a crowd clustered around them. Both women had children, he said. "We thought it was just a fight and then someone yelled, 'He's got a gun. He's got a gun.' You really couldn't see nothing because there was a crowd," Turner said. 'We got lucky' Rafael Gomez, 11, said he and his father had been in the store about 20 minutes before the shooting but were in a nearby Pizza Hut when they saw people pouring out of the store screaming. "We just saw them running and crying. I was kind of scared," Rafael said. "We got lucky." Toys "R" Us issued a statement expressing outrage over the violence. "We are working closely with local law enforcement officials to determine the specific details of what occurred," the statement said. "Our understanding is that this act seems to have been the result of a personal dispute between the individuals involved. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to associate the events of today with Black Friday." The Barricks and others remained at the scene long after the shooting because investigators would not allow cars to be taken from the parking lot until a crime-scene reconstruction was completed. Palm Desert is a resort town about 120 miles east of Los Angeles. © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

11-29-2008, 07:06 PM	#7
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	And they wonder why people shop online.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

11-29-2008, 09:00 PM	#10
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Horrible!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

11-29-2008, 04:19 PM	#2
MonarC The truth will set you free Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 05, 2002 Location: 3rd Stone From The Sun Posts: 9,525

11-29-2008, 04:24 PM	#4
MonarC The truth will set you free Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 05, 2002 Location: 3rd Stone From The Sun Posts: 9,525	I feel sorry for their kids, unfortunately they are victims here too.

11-29-2008, 04:32 PM	#5
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	wow, i do not envy the janitors there.

11-29-2008, 04:50 PM	#6
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	I've said it before and I'll say it again. People have lost all respect for anyone but themselves

11-29-2008, 08:34 PM	#9
littlebelle Spell Caster Senior Member Join Date: Dec 29, 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,659	This is ridiculous. Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and unfortunately it has turned into a mass merchandised holiday.

11-29-2008, 09:16 PM	#11
Lee veteran member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 23, 2001 Location: Pulaski, Tennessee Posts: 4,768	I don't think Black Friday was the cause of this, as Toys R Us has said.

11-29-2008, 11:11 PM	#12
littlebelle Spell Caster Senior Member Join Date: Dec 29, 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,659	I'm not only talking about this event. I'm also referring to the people that were TRAMPLED to DEATH by **ing insane holiday shoppers, and the people that broke down the glass @ that Wal-Mart. People are **ed up.

11-30-2008, 09:57 AM	#15
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,487	After reading about this and the Wal-Mart incident, I'm sort of glad to be broke this Christmas! As someone here said, if you must shop--shop online. It's safer.