The Modell’s in Ozone Park was the site of a fight over shoes. RIGHT: An Air Jordan sneaker was the item in dispute.
The midnight release party for Air Jordan 7 Olympic Retro sneakers at Modell’s in Ozone Park turned violent after a fight broke out on the line. Shoppers flocked to the Rockaway Boulevard/Liberty Av- enue location and began taking their positions on line around 6 p.m.
The sought after sneakers were to be unveiled at the store on Friday night, offered up to customers at a hefty retail price of around $175 per pair. The shoes were scheduled to be released on Saturday morning and according to authorities the crowd began to assemble some- where around 6 p.m. the night before.
Disputes broke out as soon as people started to line up accord- ing to authorities, primarily caused by their positions on the line. Two unidentified men, possibly brothers, were arrested by the 106th Precinct on Friday evening after hitting two other men with a metal chair.
Police were called in to break up the disputes, one of which resulted in hospitalization after a man suf- fered a critical blow to the side of the head. He remains at Jamaica and was last listed in critical condition. Stories of similar incidents flooded newswires across the country. Vio-
lent outbreaks among the “sneakerheads” who collect the limited edition shoes sent many shoppers to hospitals and jail cells over the weekend. In Oregon, police had to call for back-up after the store thereran out of the shoes, leaving many in the crowd without the ability to purchase the sneakers. Dozens of shoppers refused to leave and began banging on the doors. In Seattle police sprayed more than 20 people with pepper spray to bring the crowd there under control.
This is not the first time the Nikes have caused uproar; the original launch of the Air Jordan shoe was responsible for muggings and even a death in 1985. The shoe remains a hit since then with sneaker fans. A new edition has been launched each year, in some cases with release being moved to the weekends to prevent kids from skipping school to get a pair.
Managers at the Ozone Park Modell’s said they were not able to comment, directing all inquiries to corporate who refused to answer questions surrounding the incident.
By Patricia Adams
