Buyers Beware On Black Friday
Last year, nearly 82 million people trekked out to the stores for their chance at snagging killer Black Friday bargains. But residents of Little Rock were in for a shock when two separate shootings occurred during the busiest shopping day of the year.
The Little Rock community did not see any Black Friday casualties, however, people were injured during both events. After last year’s incidents, some Arkansas residents are hesitant to hit the shops on November 28th.
Not to worry — let’s explore exactly what happened lat year in Little Rock. Then we’ll review some more common illegal actions and accidents that occur on Black Friday. For most Americans, the day will be full of long lines, good sales, and bad traffic, but a small portion of individuals will have a lawsuit on their hands at the day’s end.
The Park Plaza Mall Shooting
The initial reports of the Park Plaza Mall shooting were frightening; Little Rock residents knew shots were fired inside of the mall and law enforcement swiftly called for evacuation. Shoppers fled and police locked down the scene, but the suspect had escaped during the chaos as well.
Once the scene had dispersed, police began to piece together what had transpired. The suspect had gotten into an altercation, brandished a weapon, fired, and fled. Two individuals were hurt during the incident and transported to the hospital, fortunately none of their injuries were life threatening.
Less than a week after the event, Antonio Coleman Jr. was arrested on two charges for attempting to commit capital murder by Little Rock police officers.
Interstate 40 Shooting
About two hours after the Park Plaza incident, law enforcement received emergency calls for a different Black Friday altercation — this time, at a sporting goods store in North Little Rock.
While shopping on November 29th, Valtorean Batemen and Treon Bone got in an argument with another shopper. The two men followed the individual after they left the shop and began firing into the victim’s vehicle on I-40. The driver was taken to the hospital for treatment from non life-threatening wounds.
Within a month of the I-40 shooting, law enforcement arrested and charged the assailants with attempting to commit capital murder, committing a terrorist act, and unlawful discharge of a weapon.
Common Holiday Legal Battles
Now you might be wondering, outside of violent assault with a weapon, how can an attorney help if you encounter a scary and stressful incident on Black Friday? There’s a handful of odd scenarios that can happen when a high volume of people gather in small areas:
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Criminal defense — robbery, theft, disorderly conduct, and other misdemeanor or felony charges
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Premise liability lawsuits — when a patron sues a business for an injury that occurred on their property
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Personal injury claims — in the event of a car crash, assault victims, or comparative fault incidents where multiple parties are liable
These types of lawsuits are quite common regardless of the time of year, however, these events happen more frequently during the holiday season. With nearly 82 million individuals shopping last year, there were more cars on the roads, more people having interactions with strangers, and more potential slip and fall hazards in businesses.
All of these possibilities lead to lawyers seeing plenty of Black Friday related lawsuits. Arkansas attorneys are no different, especially given the two Little Rock incidents in 2024.
Legal Trouble On Black Friday? Find An Arkansas Attorney Today
If you’re braving the stores on the biggest shopping day of the year, stay safe. But if anything out of the ordinary happens and you’d like to be made whole for damages, contact the Hickey & Hull lawyers at (479) 434-2414.
No problem is too big or too small — if you need representation or sustained an injury following a Black Friday related event, the legal team at Hickey & Hull is prepared to help you in court.