More Black Friday Deaths: Gunshots Fired in Toys R Us - Two Dead
Posted: Friday, November 28, 2008
by Avis Ward
GeoVi's Home for Pregnant Teens
Two people have been shot and both died at the crowded toy store during a confrontation apparently involving rival groups, reports say.
Palm Desert Councilor, Jim Ferguson said two men with handguns shot and
killed each other in a Toys "R" Us store on one of the busiest shopping
days of the year.
Ferguson said he had asked police whether the incident was a dispute over a toy or whether it was gang-related.
City spokeswoman Sheila Gilligan said police told her the shooting broke out between "two groups of individuals that have a dispute with each other".
The Palm Desert Police Department received calls of shots fired around 11.35am (local time), Riverside County sheriff's Sergeant Dennis Gutierrez said. He said officers were still investigating what prompted the gunshots.
Immediately after the shooting, about 20 people rushed into the World Gym across the street from Toys "R" Us, the gym's assistant manager Glenn Splain said.
"They were crying, tearing and shaking," Splain said, adding that one woman came in cradling a baby. "Some people got into a fight," said Splain, who spoke with some of the customers.
"One of the guys here thought it was over a toy, but it got louder and louder and then there were gunshots."
Sarah Pacia said she was in the store with her two boys, looking at coloring books when she heard a commotion in the next aisle. She thought it was people rushing to get a sale item before she heard three or four shots.
She said she froze and store employees calmly escorted her out of the store.
"This is Toys "R" Us. There are kids shopping in there," Pacia told The Desert Sun newspaper. Her son Jayden, four, was clinging to her leg. He told her he didn't want to die, she said.
Source: Associated Press contributed to this article.
2008 by Avis Ward
This Article has been viewed 812 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)How does one even react to this type of news report? It is a sad day when people have to fear even going into a toy store.I know, David. Can you begin to imagine what the mom felt when her four year old thought he would die? If I do not break out in praise over His protection of everyone else in that store, including that family, I would be incensed! (But what's the use.) I'm so thankful no innocent bystanders were harmed. We'll continue in prayer. Thanks for stopping in, David.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.