2 men who helped woman attacked in Fulton courthouse elevator honored

Fulton County on Wednesday honored two people who helped save a legal assistant who last month was attacked in an elevator at the Fulton County courthouse.

“This was a selfless act of kindness,” said Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington.

Michael Katz, an attorney, and De Andre Royals, a jail expeditor for Superior Court, both intervened on May 8 when Ruben Eric Washington allegedly attacked the woman in the elevator. He was choking the woman with one hand and holding scissors with the other, Katz told sheriff's investigators.

Katz used his jiu jitsu training to get the scissors away from Washington, according to a proclamation read Wednesday. Royals, who was also assaulted by Washington, kept him on the ground, another proclamation said.

Both hailed the men for their acts of bravery. Robert McBurney, chief judge of Fulton County Superior Court, called them heroes.

“But for their intervention, there could have been a much, much more serious outcome,” McBurney said.