Wa-mart: Video Shows Pepper-Spray Suspect; Was It Self-Defense?

[The Straight Story]

The woman who pepper-sprayed Porter Ranch Wal-Mart shoppers Thanksgiving night may have sprayed in self-defense, police said Monday.

"What am I going to charge her with?" Detective Michael Fesperman of the LAPD Devonshire Division police station told Dana Bartholomew of the Daily News.

Detectives reviewed YouTube and Wal-Mart security videos and now say the 32-year-old woman may have feared for her life in the crush for discounted Xbox video game consoles.

"There was a stampede at Wal-Mart from people getting Xbox games for half off," Fesperman said. "There was no control. People were getting stampeded and trampled. There were people screaming, yelling that they were being trampled or crushed.

"This woman may have fired her pepper spray in self-defense."

http://encino.patch.com/articles/update-video-shows-wal-mart-pepper-spray-suspect-was-it-self-defense

[saras]

1. If I found MYself in a WalMart, I'd pepper spray my way to the exit as fast as possible.

I have absolutely ZERO tolerance for violent "shoppers". Not wanting to spend the rest of my life in prison, I just don't GO to WalMart.

[arcane1]

2. In a way, that's even worse

Dammit, starving war refugees in line for rations behave better than this.


Tis the season to say "I'm from Canada"

[dtexdem]

3. Officials had asked retailers to adequately prepare for the crowds.

Obviously, WalMart didn't.

Hey, WalMart could always give pepper spray to its greeters to spray on entering shoppers -- that way there would be no out-of-control mobs inside the stores. ;-)

[The Straight Story]

4. Arm the salvation army with pepper spray - don't donate? Spray (nt)

[Lance_Boyle]

5. Pepper spray as self-defense against stampeding is just wacky.

Unruly mob threatening to run you over? Hey! I know what would make that better! BLIND them!

Lady wanted her x-box and she was gonna mace whoever she had to in order to get it. She should be charged with unlawful discharge of a weapon at the least, and probably assault.

[frylock]

6. "What am I going to charge her with?" how about assault, detective dumbshit?

if she felt her life was endangered, then why didn't she leave the fucking store?