Clarksville Woman Trampled During Black Friday Shopping

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Thousands Shop On Black Friday In Middle Tennessee

By Nicole Ferguson

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A Clarksville woman was trampled at the Toys R Us in Clarksville before the doors opened for business on Black Friday.

According to a police report, several calls made to 911 described a "mob" of shoppers pushing and knocking people down. Store management waited for police to arrive before opening store doors.

Amy Serna, age 32, said she had been waiting in line since 8:00 p.m. Thursday, only to be pushed down around a quarter to midnight.

"There was no representative, no security, nobody out there telling people 'you need to get in the back of the line,'" said the mother of two. "There was no kind of authority out there and that's what caused all this chaos."

Serna said she was pinned between a shopping cart and cement wall.

"When they pushed forward they pushed brutally," said Serna.

Serna went to the hospital and was treated for a swollen knee, an aching back and head injuries.

Company officials did not return calls seeking comment, but Serna said a district manager called Friday afternoon and said he would do his best to get the items she had been waiting for.

Serna said management told her that it would be best if she left the store after all the chaos.

"It's unfair," said Serna. "I'd stood in line for four hours. I'd been trampled on, and you know – I just felt like it wasn't justified. I felt terrible."

Serna said store managers could have done more to avoid the incident.

The National Retail Federation had issued safety guidelines for retailers and customers. They suggest stores mark entrances and exits clearly, along with directions toward the season's hot items. This comes a year after a New York man was trampled to death in a Wal-mart.

"I'm so glad I slept in this morning. I am so glad," said Clarksville shopper Brittney Marquez. "That would have been me on the floor."

"I would never ever, ever do Black Friday shopping again," said Serna. "I will never go in a line like that ever again. It's not worth it."

At the Rivergate Toys-R-Us location, some shoppers said an altercation broke out when a few people tried to skip line. The police were also called because too many people were inside the store at one time.

People there said that before the doors opened, the line was nearly a half-mile long.

E-mail: nferguson@newschannel5.com