Cristian Garcia, a linebacker for the University of Florida football team, stumbled onto the scene of a rape while at work the other day and rushed to save the woman from her attacker. Garcia, who was working security at a bar in Gainesville, was taking out the trash Thursday night when he noticed two people having sex behind the dumpster. He quickly realized that the woman was actually unconscious and what he was witnessing was a rape in progress.
Garcia and one of his co-workers immediately stepped in and stopped the man from assaulting the woman. According to TMZ, Garcia pulled the man off of the woman and the man turned around and tried to punch Garcia. The rapist was able to escape after a struggle but police later found him, identified as 34-year-old Christopher Shaw, with the help of footage from a security camera.
Upon watching the surveillance video, the officers backed up Garcia’s story:
“Upon viewing the videos, it is clear the victim was mentally and physically unable to give consent due to her level of intoxication,” police stated in their report. “The victim was slumping over and unable to hold up her head. The (defendant) can be seen pushing the victim back up. … When pushed back up the victim’s eyes were closed and her head fell back against the dumpster.”
The police added that Shaw is a suspect in a string of other rapes as well.
People have been calling Garcia a hero for his actions, but he says he didn’t have to think twice about helping the victim. “I hold strong moral values and I don’t think anyone should be taken advantage of in that kind of way.”
