Out-of-Control Crowd Mars New iPad Release
One arrested, others told to leave the Mall at Rockingham Park.
Photos
UPDATE: Salem Deputy Police Chief Shawn Patten said the mall and the Apple Store hired detail officers and notified police they expected a crowd early Friday morning.
However, Patten said there were issues with the number of people who showed up and the crowd organization got "a little chaotic" for those in attendance.
"We have good relationships with the mall and Apple," Patten said. "We want to work with them to make sure it doesn't happen again."
EARLIER STORY: One man was arrested and numerous others asked to leave the Mall at Rockingham Park early Friday morning when a crowd waiting in line for the new iPad release got out of control.
Salem Police were called to the mall at 5:09 a.m. Friday to assist detail officers assigned to the Apple Store and the mall for the new iPad release. A crowd estimated at 1,000 people waiting at an exterior entrance became unruly, causing a crushing issue at the entrance doors to the mall, police said.
It took 8 to 10 officers to quell the disturbance, according to police. Numerous people were told to leave mall property, and one man was arrested. Police remained at the scene for several hours to help control the crowd, and additional detail officers were assigned until noon.
Joseph Cannon, 21, of Lowell, Mass. was charged with disorderly conduct and released on personal recognizance bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned sometime next month.
SalemResident
1:02 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
What a bunch of iDiots
Bob Gibbs
4:17 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
All for something they will makes millions of? Question? Are the people waiting around for these part of the 99%?
john z smith
4:39 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
bunch of freaking sheep
John
4:44 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
They should arrest every idiot who buys an ipad. A crappy device that is way overpriced and built by child labor in China under horrible conditions so anyone who has an apple product better never complain about the rich, the poor, claim to be an occupy supporter or whine they can't get a jobor pay a school bill
whatsthebigdeal?
5:20 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
How is Apple any different than the computer that you are using to read this article?? Most of the products in America are made in China today. That's just the facts of life. If you're going to complain about it, then don't buy anything that isn't made in the U.S. Arresting someone for having a product? That isn't an ignorant comment at all. You sure like to complain about other people using electronics, yet you're using one yourself. Hypocritical much??
Patrick Rodgers
5:31 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Never seen an Apple product that wasn't high quality and one the company didn't stand behind. As far as them being made out of the country, you can thank union labor for that. Outside of government, where there is zero accountability for controlling costs, there is this thing called the profit margin. Private sector companies that manafacture things and produce services, live and die based on the profit margin. For manafacturing jobs, look for more and more companies to move their operations to places with a large and cost effective labor pool. The exception will be if Obama and his misfits get re-elected and impose total Socialism on the country? Then everything will be nationalized and run by the government. Now that is something to look forward to?
judy shappell
5:06 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Oh fer God's sake people, get a grip!;-)
Peter North
8:46 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
I agree with Judy! Seriously John, you bring up child labor in China while I saw a school age boy holding signs at the Fisk school on election day. I guess it's ok to play hooky if it suits one's own agenda.
Patrick Rodgers
5:20 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
The Police detail should have anticipated crowd control issues and better prepared for it. Using barricades or traffic cones to establish a single file line, would have avoided the crush at the door. Salem Police need some training in crowd control tactics.
Peter North
8:49 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
That's right Pat blame the Police,,,it's always their fault. SPD needs training in crowd control, why is that ? They seem to manage the chaos surrounding holiday shopping pretty well around here with just a handful of officers.
Unmanned barricades and cones are useless,,,,just think back to all the dopes who drove around them during the floods and got their cars stuck. You and Don Duston should get together and run the Police Dept for a day and get back to us on how easy it must be.
Julia Schack
6:08 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
The Police should have counted the first 50 people and then told the rest to go home because I doubt that the store had more than 50 or so of the iPads.
Peter North
8:52 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
10 Officers for a crowd of 1,000. Anyone want to take those odds ?
Nice job SPD, glad no one was hurt and with only one arrest, that shows a lot of restraint.
Travis the Chimp
8:12 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
The store had over a 1000 iPads. The store does this for free publicity. Customers are in danger along with employees and police. They could do online registration. They choose not to because bad publicity is still publicity.
Don Duston
9:37 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
I am sitting on 1000 shares of Apple I bought at $135 a share less than 3 years ago. Stock is now trading at close to $600 a share......go baby go!!!!!
Travis the Chimp
9:59 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
You dropped 135k on a stock? Can you adopt me?
Don Duston
10:33 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
@Chimp, oh so now you want to brown nose after you have been ripping me for months.
Travis the Chimp
10:56 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
I don't care who you are. If you have 135 k of disposible income you can adopt me.
Peter North
12:20 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
go ahead Travis,,,be adopted,,you will probably be taking up one of those spots from the beagles on Haverhill RD. But I hear they are nice rabbit cages!