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Black Friday Pepper Sprayer Surrenders to Police

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Screengrab/YouTube
The extreme competitive shopper who used pepper spray on other Porter Ranch Wal-Mart shoppers to guard the products on her Black Friday list turned herself in to authorities on Friday night.

After injuring about 20 shoppers - including kids - around 10:20pm on Thursday during the store's Black Friday sale, the woman exited Wal-Mart with her purchased prize: an Xbox.

Authorities said she was engaging in "competitive shopping" after an Xbox display was unveiled at the store.

The woman surrendered to the LAPD's Devonshire Station around 8:30pm on Friday. She was questioned then released pending further investigation. She could face battery charges.

Victims of the pepper spray fiasco mostly complained of stinging in their eyes, and ten people were treated at the scene by city firefighters.

One shopper told CBS2, "It was a burning feeling in my throat for me. There was a lot of people who got it in their eyes. They were burning, they were screaming, crying."

The woman, whose name has not been released, is described by the LAPD as "a Latina, in her early to late 30s, wearing black pants and a black sweater." She is thought to be a diminutive 5'3" and about 140 pounds.

A Wal-Mart spokesman said the store had more than adequate security. The store describes the incident as "an unfortunate situation."

Police plan to release more details of the investigation, including the suspect's identity, later today.

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Comments [rss]

  • I cannot believe they called it " competitive shopping" ...???  I didn't know that shopping is a competition now...  and no holds barred...wow, the world we live in now... sad indeed...and sick..

  • RedMercury

    It sort of bothers me that "the authorities" refer to what she did as "competitive shopping."  Why are they doing this?

    Simply because if they called it "assault" or something like that, it might just beg that question about the police use of pepper-spray.  And we can't have that.  So we give it a cute name, "competitive shopping," give everybody a good laugh, and let her go with a slap on the wrist.

  • westlafadeaway

    She was engaged in "competitive shopping" but will still be charged with "battery".  One is the motive and the other the crime but I suppose they could be downplaying it ahead of tonight's OLA eviction.

  • She owes everyone an X-box.

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