Police called to Jacksonville GameStop for line cutter

Line for new Xbox and PlayStation began 7 a.m. Thursday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was called twice to a GameStop at River City Marketplace over a man who disrupted the line outside the store.

According to the first two-people standing in line who had front-row seats to the incident, a man joined the line around 10 a.m. Thursday. The man put down a chair and then left.

He came back periodically but left again each time. Once he was gone again, someone else in the line moved his chair.

The next time the man showed up, his family came with him. Then he, three more adults, and three kids tried to claim the spot in line where the chair was left.

“He wanted a space in the line, but he didn’t want to wait. He got a little aggressive with some folks here, so the police had to be called. He was just asked to leave, he had his kids here with him.” First-in-line, Josh Lebeque said.

When officers showed up, the police asked the man and his family to leave. They did.

People in line say they’re waiting for the Black Friday sale of the new Xbox and PlayStation. The first person in line said he arrived at the store at 7 a.m. Thursday and he wasn’t the only one who camped overnight.

Donnell Malpress said he brought his son to get him the new Xbox Series X.

“It’s all him, I’m just here for him. He should be able to get it, at least one,” he said, adding the Black Friday shopping experience is his first-- and last.

The three gaming consoles most popular with consumers this year include the Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and the Nintendo Switch.

The GameStop at River City Marketplace sold out of PS5′s in about 10 minutes.


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.