http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=59210
August 17, 2005
Cheap laptop event turns into ugly riot
By KRISTEN GELINEAU
The Associated Press
"RICHMOND, Va. - A rush to purchase $50 used laptops turned into a violent stampede yesterday, with
people getting thrown to the pavement, beaten with a folding chair and nearly driven over. One
woman went so far to wet herself rather than surrender her place in line.
Jesse Sandler said he was one of the people pushing forward, using a folding chair he had brought
with him to beat back people who tried to cut in front of him.
"I took my chair here and I threw it over my shoulder and I went, 'Bam,'" the 20-year-old said
nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the screen of his new iBook, as he tapped away on the keyboard at a
testing station.
"They were getting in front of me and I was there a lot earlier than them, so I thought that it was
just," he said.
Witnesses said an elderly man was thrown to the pavement, and someone in a car tried to drive his
way through the crowd.
Seventeen people suffered minor injuries, with four requiring hospital treatment, Henrico County
Battalion Chief Steve Wood said. There were no arrests."
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