Police disperse unruly Toys R Us crowd

A group of people too intent on scoring bargains at Toys R Us in Park Hills Plaza roused themselves from Thanksgiving lethargy to cause a disturbance Thursday evening, Logan Township police said.

"It's a shame," Police Chief Ron Heller said. "[To] have hoodlums like this ruin the season."

Others equally intent on getting a good start on their Christmas shopping upheld line-waiting etiquette against the rowdies.

It began about 7 p.m., when people began to line up in anticipation of the store opening at midnight, Heller said.

The line of about 1,000 people went from the door of the store to the right, and eventually stretched along the sidewalk and around the corner of the shopping all the way to El Campesino Restaurant, Heller said.

At some point, a rival line of shoppers who didn't want to wait their turn began to form, starting at the entrance and going to the left, Heller said.

That line, with about 200 people, eventually stretched around the other corner to Cold Stone Creamery, he said.

Still others came - mostly young men - who didn't want to wait in either line. They camped out in front of the entrance, and informed the others they planned to charge in when management opened the doors, Heller said.

At that point, someone called for police, who had to use their sirens and lights to push through vehicles clogging the way on Plank Road outside the shopping center and in the center lot.

When they arrived on scene about 12 minutes before midnight, they dispersed the renegade groups, leaving only the first line in place, and people in that line cheered, Heller said.

But some of the dispersed bargain-hunters didn't go quietly.

Instead, they began trying to jump the legitimate line in the vicinity of the former Staples building, he said.

This time, those who'd waited their turn didn't put up with it.

Mostly ladies, they linked arms to prevent incursion, with at least one holding on to a conveniently parked cruiser for leverage, Heller said.

Police came over and again ordered the line-jumpers to disperse.

Some talked back to the officers, Heller said. An officer then uncapped a Taser and activated it, causing electricity to arc across the terminals on the head of the device, and informed the recalcitrant ones they'd get shocked if they didn't leave.

They left "like ants," obediently, Heller said.

Toys R Us Inc. plans to review employees' response to the incident, according to an unsigned e-mail from the company press office.

"We are aware that a large crowd formed," the e-mail stated.

The company said it has "long employed strict crowd control procedures," which include calling police when crowds grow unruly. Store managers and the company's security team work together on crowd control planning and the size of security staffs, according to the e-mail.

Heller wasn't sure what most of the rowdy bargain-hunters were after in the store.

One likely draw was the 70 percent off electronic toys and games Thursday to today, as widely advertised by the chain. Another was the "hot tech deals," including discounts on digital media players, also advertised.

Altoona police assisted at the scene, city Sgt. John Roefaro said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 949-7038.