New Nike’s Cause Frenzy Across the Nation

Crowds lined up in droves across the country following the release of Nike’s new Air Jordan basketball shoes last week.

Unfortunately, those crowds led to some craziness, including incidents at several area malls and stores.

In Richmond, a gun went off and a 24-year-old was taken into custody at Hilltop Mall. Two arrests were made in Fairfield after crowds became unruly trying to get in position at the front of the line. And at Bayfair Mall in San Leandro, officials were forced to shut down the mall temporarily after crowds began trying to force their way in.

There were several other incidents around the country involving unruly crowds and violent behavior.

The Air Jordan Retro XI Concord, which retail for $175, are coveted because of both the nostalgic and resale value. Shortly after the shoes were off store shelves, pairs were being sold for more than $500 on eBay.

The shoes are a remake of Air Jordans released in 1996, the year the Chicago Bulls made history with a 72-10 record. Michael Jordan also wore the shoes in the movie “Space Jam.”

Photo Credit: www.sneakerfiles.com

It's simple. Keith Mizuguchi loves to write and write and write some more. After taking a hiatus from the journalism business, he has rekindled his passion for writing over the last two years, holding a job as both a web and on-air writer for San Francisco news radio station KCBS. While he enjoys the news business, his true passions are twofold: sports and food. Bay Area born and raised, he lives in San Jose, commutes to SF and loves every minute of it. You can follow his food adventures on Twitter @foodie_keith.