New Air Jordans Cause Nationwide Shopping Frenzy

Source: AP via ABC

Fights, vandalism and arrests marked the release of Nike's new Air Jordan basketball shoes as a shopping rush on stores across the country led to unrest that nearly turned into rioting.

The outbursts of chaos stretched from Washington state to Georgia as shoppers — often waiting for hours in lines — converged on stores Friday in pursuit of the shoes, a retro model of one of the most popular Air Jordans ever made.

In suburban Seattle, police used pepper spray on about 20 customers who started fighting at the Westfield Southcenter mall. The crowd started gathering at four stores in the mall around midnight and had grown to more than 1,000 people by 4 a.m., when the stores opened, Tukwila Officer Mike Murphy said. He said it started as fighting and pushing among people in line and escalated over the next hour.

Murphy said no injuries were reported, although some people suffered cuts or scrapes from fights. Shoppers also broke two doors, and 18-year-old man was arrested for assault after authorities say he punched an officer.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/air-jordans-nationwide-shopping-frenzy-15226746#.TvWfHYHYCSo

This takes it way a step further. And, for "Air Jordans?" :wtf:

Article says some people never take them out of the box! "Sneaker Collectibles?" Folks hoping to make a fortune like with baseball cards or comic books?

They can't handle 20 people? No wonder they send riot police to Occupy....

What gets me about the Air Jordan hysteria is that Michael Jordan has long since retired. It makes about as much sense as riots over newly-released Monkees merchandise.