E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSMore than 100 law enforcement officers in riot gear broke up an out-of-control crowd waiting to buy the new basketball shoes timed to be released during the NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.
Authorities say there were no injuries or arrests late Thursday outside the Florida Mall. They said the crowd grew unruly as hundreds packed the parking lot waiting to buy the limited-edition Nike shoes, priced from $90 to $175, according to Foot Locker.
The retailer is releasing 16 versions of All-Star Weekend sneakers. The Jordan 2012 Year of the Dragon shoe, priced at $223, is scheduled to go on sale on Feb. 25.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that the crowd was asked to wait across the street when the mall closed. But one person ran toward the Foot Locker and others followed. Authorities formed a line and used shields to push back the crowd.
WESH.com reported that even after Orange County Sheriff's Office deputies announced there would be no shoe release at the Foot Locker store on Friday, the crowd remained. They waited in parking lots throughout the night.
Members of the crowd said the shoes are a limited edition and they do not want to miss out on buying them, WESH.com reported.
"Due to safety concerns, we are canceling the All-Star releases this weekend ... at the following Foot Locker House of Hoops stores: Florida Mall, Pembroke Mall, University Mall in Tampa, Southlake Mall and PG Plaza," read a statement released Friday on the Foot Locker website.
"Our priority is the safety of the community."
At a mall in Hyattsville, Md., police said Friday they arrested one person for disorderly conduct as a crowd of more than 100 awaited the shoes' release.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
- Which GOP candidate boasts most online buzz?
- Gay Dallas judge won't perform straight marriages
- Edwards' ex-mistress gets ownership of sex tap in settling lawsuit against aide
- Girl shot: 9-year-old boy in orange jail jumpsuit cries in court
- Emails show Palin as governor: 'I just can't take it anymore.'
Leave a Comment:
??????????????????????????????
Just goes to show that life is so good here in the USA that the locals fight over which pair of shoes you can buy. I'm sure someone will come up with- It's Nike's fault there aren't enough "limited edition" shoes for sale. Here's a thought- Why is there ANYTHING wrong with Nike putting out limited edition stuff?? Apple does, the music industry does, video game companies do, dvd manufacturers do, your car manufacturer does, your clothing maker does, etc. etc. It's solely a matter of IF you want it, how many are around, and what you are willing to pay for it.
Sadly, I'm going to go out on a limb here, I'm going to guess that we'll here within a few months of people being robbed for those shoes. Ironic isn't it? People are willing to steal another person's sneakers- which might be worn or smelly. I guess I'm not a sneaker guy, but this is lame.
These are your 99%ers. I have absolutely no remorse towards those that complain about not being able to afford things when high end shoes are what they decide to spend their money on. These are likely the same people who spend $4 a day on a starbucks and complain about not makeing enough money. If you are judicious with your spending you would be surprised what luxuries you can afford.
American culture needs to change and put emphasis on non-materialistic needs. It is rediculous that shoes drive us to riots.
WOW! Joe and Reasonable have it all figured out. Who said it was Nike's fault? You make inferences about hypothetical arguments and then attack them with narrow-minded pseudologic. Now you have people stealing sneakers? Based on this story? The deduction that this is representative of the 99%ers, that's rich. You apparently have not heard one word said by actual members of the 99%, otherwise you wouldn't utter such nonsensical jibberish.
$223 for sneakers?????? I'm in the wrong business!
Rob- My bad, you are right. I just went with what I read:
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Womans-Face-Slashed-Man-Beaten-and-Robbed-of-Air-Jordans-136256793.html
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/12/06/dean-college-students-suspended-after-beating-video-surfaces-online/
I have no idea what I was talking about. My appologies as you certainly have things covered.
Oh yeah, I forgot this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7XVlDfzMyg
Community leaders blame Nike for rising crime......
Yep, I'm wrong here.
Hey un-Reasonable... Of course they are part of the 99%, and so are you. Whether you like it or not... That is unless you're some wealthy dink sitting in your highrise making comments about the barbarians below you... But what those people spend their money on is part of capitalism and a free market. SO which are you in favor of Capitalism or bashing the people that want to fight for a more equal form of capitalism? I don't know what OWS protests you went down to visit, you know to form an opinion of your own and not just let FOX give you your opinion, but I didn't see anyone in the protests I visited holding a latte, espresso, or cappucino. In fact the OWS movement, if it focused on local companies and their practices, would be up in arms about Starbucks as it bases it's headquarters out of Switzerland so they can avoid US taxes. They also help control the price of whole bean coffee so as to keep the farmers poor and dependant on their dollar, instead of paying fair wages, only to squeeze every last penny of profit they can out of that $4 cup of coffee.
The problem isn't with the people... though I agree that the shoes shouldn't cause this much a ruckuss... The problem is with Nike, that doesn't give a second thought about the violence their shoes cause. Remember back in the early 90's when kids were being killed for their shoes? Neither Nike nor Michael Jordan ever stood up and said anything about it. Frankly I think MJ has just as much blood on his hands as Nike does for staying quiet while people of lesser means fight over a shoe with his name on it.
there's a pair on ebay right now for $26,000!!!
Hay, speaking of a pair on eBay, does anyone know how to cancel an eBay bid? I have the high bid on a “Mickey Mouse outfit” and a “Goofy Outfit” and I am now five minutes away from owning the US House of Representatives and the Senate. ={
that same pair just sold for $99,000.00
It's a SHOE!!! I like my Nine West, but I'm not about to riot over a pair.
Voice...hahahahahaha
You know, for all their crying about the "rich white folks"........all of the rioters were black males. So obviously they HAVE money. Problem is, they chose to spend it on shoes and not health care or other ESSENTIALS!!
Young males rioting over sneakers?
We need to change the parenting culture that is raising a generation of morons like this.
Exactly. We should riot over something REALLY useful like burning the koran.
Seriously? There are folks still willing to pay gross amounts of money for a pair of shoes? In the infamous words of Thomas Tusser, " a fool and his money are soon parted.". Seems there's LOTS of fools in Orlando today.
Young B L A C K males rioting over tennis shoes! How do unemployed, uneducated, single mother, young men afford $90-$235 tennis shoes? They don't sell drugs, rob or burglar do they?
The biggest BIGOTS use the broadest brushes.
Hey, the shoe fits. sorry for the pun but it's appropriate. I wonder how many of these people are employed?
and how many are on welfare? People that work hard and make a good living for ourselves would just wait and buy them after the rush!
When I saw this on CNN this afternoon....Sorry to say that is exactly what I thought..proamerica-1148973..They all looked like thug/gangsters/low lifes......
By watching the news report. Yes, the majority of them were black males in their teens to thirties. Whether they're on welfare, government support, employed or not... it's still the mentality that gives people a bad name and further applies the stereotypes. It's unfortunate but true.
"We need to change the parenting culture that is raising a generation of morons like this."
Near Miss. It is a lack of "parenting culture" (?) and "that generation" is not being raised the egg and sperm donors are more involved with facebook and being twits.
Welcome to a "progressive" United States of America!
I wouldn't be surprised if there is a story a few days after the release of sales about someone being gunned down for their new Air Jordan's...
Burn the sneakers, and riot over the fact that we are fast approaching a country in dire need of strong leadership.
What kind of idiot spends $223 on a pair of sneakers?
My last five pair didn't equal that amount.
I'm trying to remember the last time I spent that much on anything and I think it was groceries.
the same idiot that sold two pairs on ebay, one for 99 thou, one for 20 thou, all on a $440 original investment...
I bought a new camera. I didn't buy any new shoes for months to afford it.
Can Obama's re-election army buy their $200 shoes with their free welfare money? Free food, free homes, free cell phones all on the backs of the few of us that still actually contribute something to this country and pay taxes; you've got to spend that free money somewhere. What better place than rims and shoes.
So I guess as there was a significant number of white kids there, they must get the money from mommy and daddy.
Wait. Wait. Wait.
You're telling me there WASN'T welfare BEFRORE Obama?! And there wasn't welfare people who lived off of it spewing kid after kid BEFORE Obama?!
HOLY CRAP. I have been SO misled the past 30 some odd years of my life, several white presidents and Governmental changes.
Damn that Obama. It's obvious he created every last single welfare user in this country in the past few years he's been in charge.
R.Scalzo, plenty of white kids grow up on welfare.
I was one of them for a short time raised by my mother who put herself through school while raising my brother and I . The differance is White people on welfare don't spend it on spinnin rims and air jordans and 40 oz bottles of malt liquor.
So yes you are right mommy and daddy def. flipped the sneaker bill for them
Not even the gays spend that much money on sneakers!
I know drag queens who spend less than that and they're professionals who compete in various shows.
[Quote] WESH.com reported that even after Orange County Sheriff's Office deputies announced there would be no shoe release at the Foot Locker store on Friday, the crowd remained. They waited in parking lots throughout the night. [/Quote]
~~~~~~~~~
The crowd remained?? Wow, what a bunch of dimwitted losers. Guess these aren't exactly the people who actually keep up with world events like the civil war in Syria, riots and killings in Afghanistan, the Euro and economic news in Greece, the national and global economies, or anything outside of "Ghetto World" events ... like getting the latest sneakers. Just think ... we actually pass these people on the street and assume that there is someting going on behind the shades.
Apparently those "Referees" at Foot Locker are not good at officiating.
Those Swedes causing trouble again?
It would be nice if they released the new sneakers on election day. Useless, vacationing Obama out for sure then. I like his singing, he should quit his day job.
If I bought a pair of these shoes, I wouldn't dare wear them in public... with this kind of demand you might not be safe from being held up for them. I wonder how much these would fetch on eBay...
$99,000...
I could have sworn we were in the middle of a bad economy. Some shoes over $200.? Has the world gone mad, or just teenagers?
No, definitely NOT teenage humans anyway!
Just low-life, animal scum... apparently escaped from some nearby Zoo disguised as a neighbor-HOOD.
My guess is that the "Blacksmith at the Zoo is responsible?" If the Blacksmith had been doing his job, these animals would not need to riot over new shoes.
Blame the Blacksmith!
When the Retro Jordan's came out here in Louisiana, the front doors to our mall were completely shattered because of idiots wanting to get in. Its shoes people not the winning power-ball ticket!!
Gee what a big surprise? I'm sorry, but who actually believes this story is "newsworthy?"
It is SO TYPICAL how "certain groups of low-life animals" will actually RIOT over Nike shoes?
So, "animals escaped from their ZOO and caused some excitement in front of a shoe store"... but who cares?
The good news here is that "Barnes & Noble won't need to add extra security!"
You can "Bet your life that NOT a single one of these animals has any idea what 'Barnes & Noble' is, let alone even dream about rioting over a book!" And definitely never riot over "Hooked on Phonics!" God forbid... some of these animals could actually learn to speak the English language?
What wonderful people, from such beautiful families with such great parents who teach their children the value of an education... uh... er... no wait... oops, sorry!
I got these animals confused with "real people"... my bad.
Over half of our country is on some kind of mind altering drug.
I had to google images on these tennis shoes ... Dang are they ugly!
PMSNBC had to MOVE to get this story off their "front page"... I wonder why?
It not sooner showed up than BOOM they hid it in the back?
It must cast a negative light on their barnyard animals???
Seriously, what is wrong with blk people? Every time a mall gets these shoes, they riot over it. Don't see many whites or Asians there, do you?
Asians don't where Nike's, they just make em.