Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Students subdue man wielding knife

Five Husson women disarm a 45-year-old Bangor man on campus. He’s now facing charges of attempted murder.

The Associated Press

BANGOR - Five female students at Husson University, including one who had recently taken a self-defense class, jumped to the aid of another student Wednesday, grabbing her knife-wielding attacker and holding him until police arrived.

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Horst Wolk

AP

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Jesse Hladik, 21, of Buckfield, right, describes the incident Wednesday. Heather Mann, 18, of Rochester, N.H., is at left. “I’m glad we got involved,” said Mann “because I really think he would have killed her.”

The Associated Press

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Jesse Hladik of Buckfield put her new skills to work when she lunged for the hand holding the knife, while the other students grabbed the man's other limbs and wrestled him to the ground.

Hladik, 21, said she knew the pressure points to make the man drop the knife, thanks to the class.

"It was really scary, but I'm glad we got involved," said Heather Mann, 18, of Rochester, N.H., "because I really think he would have killed her."

Officers who responded to the report of a domestic fight at 7:40 a.m. found Horst Wolk, 45, of Bangor subdued on the pavement. A campus officer cuffed him, and city police hauled him away.

John Michaud, professor of legal studies, heard the commotion and saw a pile of people on the pavement, while more women stood by, ready to jump in.

"I was very impressed by the students," Michaud said. "How many times do you hear about people walking by incidents like this? These young ladies weren't going to walk by this incident."

He said the young women disarmed the suspect and "had the situation well in hand."

Wolk was charged with attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, aggravated assault and violating a protection order, said Bangor Police Sgt. Paul Edwards. He remained in jail Wednesday afternoon on $25,000 bail.

The incident occurred in a parking lot next to Husson's O'Donnell Commons.

Wolk, who isn't a student, rammed the victim's vehicle after she pulled into a parking space at 7:40 a.m., then jumped out of his vehicle with a knife in his hand, said Julie Green, Husson's spokeswoman.

The injured woman, who was not identified, was treated at a hospital and released.

Edwards said officers generally don't want bystanders to put themselves in harm's way.

"We would never recommend getting involved to the point where you might get hurt yourself and become a second victim. But am I proud of what they did? Of course I am. Am I glad they did it? Yeah. I'm happy because the outcome was good," Edwards said.