The Boulder County Coroner’s Office confirms that Michael Hoffman, a 21-year-old student at the University of Colorado at Boulder, died last month during the first week of school after what appears to be alcohol abuse. Hoffman’s death is believed to be the first alcohol death at CU-Boulder campus since the 2004 fraternity hazing death of Gordie Baily, The Denver Post reports.
According to The Daily Camera, Hoffman had been out drinking with a friend on the night of Aug. 26. Around 2 a.m., he was found unconscious in a pool of vomit on a stranger’s doorstep of an off-campus apartment building in Boulder -- his skin was gray and he was sweating profusely. The police said they could smell a distinct odor of alcohol. The apartment resident who did know Hoffman found him unconscious and called 911. Hoffman was rushed to Boulder Community Hospital where he remained unconscious and died 4 days later -- just 7 days after his 21st birthday.
Police checked his cellphone for emergency contact information and found an exchange of text messages between a male friend in which Hoffman was expressing his desire to buy the prescription drug Adderall, a stimulant used to treat ADHD, but can be abused recreationally, 7News reports.
Hoffman sent his friend a text reading, “Let’s get f----d up and do addy!” which police think is a reference to Adderall. His friend replied that the “The whole state is dry right now,” to which, Hoffman replied, “Let me know if you find some, and I’ll buy it from you.” At one point Hoffman’s friend asked, “Why do you always get so f----d up? Where are you?”
CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano said that the university was saddened by Hoffman’s death and will continue its efforts to educate students about alcohol and drug use, 9News reports.
But, Fox31 spoke with some Boulder residents who don’t think enough is being done to curb this kind of partying. Currently, students can register their parties with police so if it gets to noisy, the police call the party house and give them a warning before arriving to break it up which, some believe, gives students an ability to get away with bad behavior. CU spokesman Bronson HIllard said to Fox31 that, “We put more resources in dealing with alcohol and drugs than in any other time in CU history, that’s what makes [Hoffman’s death] particularly tragic.”