Max Demby was walking home from University Hill last Friday night and, fortunately, detoured from his normal route. He walked through the Engineering Center plaza and heard the screams of a female CU student who was being sexually assaulted by a man.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think twice,鈥� Max said. 鈥淭here was no doubt in my mind that I had to stop this.鈥�
Max approached the man and yelled at him to stop. The suspect ran away. CU Police officers found the suspect a short time later and placed him under arrest. The suspect remains at Boulder County Jail and faces several felony charges.
CU-Boulder Police Chief Melissa Zak praised Max鈥檚 actions in looking out for a fellow Buff. Max is an accounting senior who is also a Ralphie Handler.
鈥淢ax is a hero for the quick actions he took to prevent this assault from becoming far worse,鈥� Zak said. 鈥淭he university is repeatedly messaging to students that they need to be effective bystanders in a variety of situations. Max did that. His actions, as well as the courage of the victims in this investigation, reflect the greatest values of our students in caring for one another and having the courage to act and report to law enforcement. They are all deserving of credit and admiration.鈥�
There are ways to increase your ability to be an effective bystander, just like Max and other Buffs on our campus. If you see something that makes you feel uncomfortable, there are several steps you can take based on your comfort level. They include:
- You can temporarily distract the person.
- Do something to interrupt a situation.
- Ask a friend to help.
- Get someone in authority to step in.
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Pictured, Max Demby, center, with CU mascot Ralphie and fellow Ralphie handlers.