What was supposed to be the busiest retail day of the year ended tragically for a man working temporarily at a Wal-Mart store in Valley Stream on Long Island. The man was at the entrance of the store just after it opened at 5 a.m. and he was knocked to the ground in a stampede by frenzied shoppers who broke down doors and surged into the store.

The man, whom authorities did not identify, was aged 34 and lived in Queens. He was hired from a temporary staffing agency and assigned to maintenance work. But the store apparently failed to provide security.

“The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this tragic time,” Wal-Mart said in a statement issued at its headquarters in Bentonville, Ark.

The man was knocked to the ground where thousands of shoppers stepped over him and streamed into the store. When told to leave, they complained that they had been in line since Thursday morning.

“This crowd was out of control,” Said Nassau police spokesman Lt. Michael Fleming.

The man was later taken to the hospital where, an hour later, he was pronounced dead. The exact cause of death was still to be determined by a medical examiner. He was not the only victim of the Black Friday. Four shoppers, including a 28-year-old pregnant woman, were also taken to local hospitals for minor injuries sustained in the accident, police said.

Vice President of Wal-Mart, Hank Mullany released a statement saying “our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those impacted.”

This was not the only tragic accident of the Black Friday. In California two people died after a shooting at a Toy “R” Us Inc. store. The shooting may have involved rival gangs, the Associated Press reported. The retailer’s representatives also released a statement expressing their disappointment caused by the tragic incident and by the fact that anyone would compromise the safety and security of the customers and employees.