A Chicago-area police officer and a suspect he shot in a shoplifting incident outside a Kohl’s department store were in the hospital on Friday — a worst-case example of how Black Friday opened with madness, mayhem and violence.
The incident began shortly past 10 p.m. on Thursday, when security officers with one Kohl’s department store in Romeoville, outside Chicago, called police to report two men who were suspected of shoplifting. Police arrived on scene and tried to apprehend the men in the parking lot, Fox News reported. But the suspects ran to their car and tried to drive off — and one officer followed on foot, grabbing hold of the vehicle.
The driver continued to accelerate, dragging the officer, Fox News reported. Police then fired into the vehicle’s window, injuring the driver.
Fox News reported that the officer and the driver were recovering in a nearby hospital on Friday. Meanwhile, both of those suspected shoplifters — as well as a third suspect who was apprehended in the store — were arrested.
That’s hardly the only dramatic shopping-related incident, however.
At a Walmart in Southern California, a police officer was hurt trying to break up several fights among shoppers. The San Bernardino County Sun said that three separate fights occurred in the store as shoppers fought over various merchandise — but that all the suspects were taken into custody.
SEE ALSO: Kmart, Walmart, Best Buy, other stores ready for Thanksgiving business
And one more: In Las Vegas, a customer who had bought a big-screen television at a local Target store was shot in the leg as he tried to bring his purchase home. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and is recovering well, the local KLAS-TV reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.