Cram a whole bunch of people in front of store doors with overhyped bogus discounts. Provide the store staff absolutely no training about management of crowds. Isolate the store staff from the extra store "security" and do nothing to promote teamwork among them.
None of that will guarantee you have something like this happen, but it could substantially up the odds.
The WalMart economy at its best.
DC Seattle WA
On 12/1/08, John Thornton <jthorn65 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Doug Henwood wrote:
>> [from the NYT story on the Wal-Mart trampling death]
>>
>> <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/nyregion/30walmart.html>
>>
>> "It was crazy," said a worker in the electronics department who was in
>> the store during the stampede. "The deals weren't even that good."
>
> "Another department spokesman said on Friday that it would be difficult
> to determine who was responsible for Mr. Damour's death."
>
> If someone representing Wal-Mart, say the store manager, asked this man
> to go near the front doors then the answer seems to me that Wal-Mart is
> responsible.
> Even if he did it of his own volition since he was acting on behalf of
> his employer Wal-Mart would still seem responsible.
> Wal-Mart created the unsafe situation and placed Mr. Damour in it.
>
> John Thornton
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