TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) – Black Friday is all about deals so good, they are worth fighting for. But some locals took that message a little too literally. Police responded to several fights over Black Friday merchandise late Thanksgiving night and early Black Friday morning.
"I know Black Friday can be crazy, but you just don't expect their safety to be in danger," said Black Friday shopper Jackie Old.
All Old wanted was to give her three-year-old a perfect Christmas. Late Thursday night she sent her husband to a store in Sylvania Township, while she waited in line at another store. She never thought anything bad would happen.
"50 feet away from him, with my three-year-old daughter in the cart, a man took a gun and put it over his head like this," said Old.
Old's husband said it was all over a video game. The store denied the claim and deputies and police officers instructed to call their records department Monday for more information.
Commotion at the Victoria's Secret in the Franklin Park Mall caused officers there to call for more crews.
"It was crazy. The only thing that was really crazy was Victoria's Secret because everyone apparently wants what they have. Yeah, I saw people get trampled," said Sgt. Joe Heffernan of the Toledo Police Department.
According to Toledo Police, three people were arrested.
"I think just the rush to get the shoppers in and some of the hysteria created by some of the retailers has maybe caused a little bit of this situation," shared Heffernan.
In Oregon, police had to respond to three separate fights at the Walmart on Navarre Avenue.
According to police, the first fight sparked over towels on sale for $1.88. Punches were thrown and one person was kicked.
Police advise shoppers to be mindful of surroundings in big crowds.
"In a situation where you see there's a large crowd and maybe that crowd is starting to get agitated, whether it be a shopping event or any other kind of event, that's a situation you don't want to be in anymore," said Heffernan.
As for the alleged Sylvania Township incident, the customer said the gun was not loaded. The man apparently had just purchased it.
Sylvania Township, Oregon and Toledo Police have not filed any official reports on the incidents yet. They expect reports to be filed on Monday.
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