Release Of Air Jordan Shoes Causes Frenzy At Anne Arundel County Malls
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)-- Mall madness! Police make arrests across the country as thousands of people storm the stores for a rare pair of shoes.
Meghan McCorkell has more on the shopping frenzy.
Right here in Maryland, police in Anne Arundel County arrested five people as crowds got out of control.
Everyone trying to get their hands on the new Air Jordans that were just released.
Shoppers trampled. In a mad dash, people crushing those on the ground to get into an Indianapolis mall.
"It's been crazy," one witness said. "I've been hearing garbage cans. People's been maced."
In Washington state, mall security pepper sprayed a crowd that got out of control.
"My mouth is on fire," one person who was pepper sprayed said. "My eye! Look! If I lick my lips, my mouth will burn."
Fights broke out in Pineville, N.C., as customers waited in line. Police rushed to control massive crowds.
All of it for the new Air Jordan Concords just released at midnight.
Anne Arundel County police arrested three people here at the Westfield Annapolis Mall as the crowds formed.
Pictures from Twitter show the crowds outside the Foot Action inside the mall. A mob of people also gathered outside the champs store before it opened, despite mall security's request for customers to stay in their cars.
Once those crowds got out of control, mall security called in the police.
Customers we spoke with say shoppers got out of control.
"They should have just said, 'Here have it, we'll go to the next store'," shopper Shane Ciccarelli said.
Two more people were arrested at Arundel Mills when crowds swarmed. Even with the chaos across the country, some say, it was worth it.
"They're not just any shoes. They're Jordans!" one shopper said.
Westfield Annapolis eventually canceled the pre-sale of those shoes and told customers to come back during regular store hours.
When the Annapolis mall did open, all of the new Air Jordan shoes sold out within minutes.
