A gunman fatally shot three people and critically injured one in two separate shootings near Penn State University before turning the gun on himself, PEOPLE confirms.
In his update, Gardner said that Witmer and Nicole Abrino, 21, who was shot and injured in the melee, were at the bar together and were sitting across from Dean Beachy, 62, of Millersburg, Ohio, and Steven Beachy, 19. According to multiple reports, Dean is Steven’s father.
“At one point, Witmer got up from his bar seat and walked to the other side of the bar near where the Beachy’s were seated,” Gardner said, reading from a statement.
To everyone’s shock and horror, he began firing.
“Investigators are still trying to determine what led Witmer to pull out a handgun and begin shooting,” Gardner said.
Dean Beachy sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died at the scene, he said.
Steven Beachy was shot in the torso and was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center along with Abrino who was shot in the chest.
They were later life-flighted to other medical facilities where they were listed in critical condition as of this morning.
On Friday at 1 p.m., State College police were notified that Steven Beachy had died, Gardner said.
Witmer’s killing spree did not end at the bar. He fled the restaurant and crashed his car on Waupelani Drive, less than two miles from the hotel, Gardner said.
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While Witmer was inside the home, McCormick’s terrified wife, Joann McCormick, 80, locked herself in another room and called 911, Gardner said. She was unharmed.
While police raced to the scene, Witmer shot himself in the head in the living room and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Gardner said.
They are still unclear as to the nature of the relationship between Witmer and Abrino. On Thursday night, Gardner told reporters he believed Abrino was either a current or ex-girlfriend.
While Gardner said State College is one of the safest areas of the country, he said Thursday night that unfortunately, shootings like this can still happen anywhere.
“It’s Happy Valley and we like to think these things can’t happen here, but one of the things it makes you realize is it can happen here and it did happen here,” Gardner said, WHTM reports. “I guess it’s just a sign of the times of the world we live in.”
Students on the Penn State campus are upset thatpolice did not notify them of the shootings, outlets including local station WCAU NBC 10 and Onwardstate.com report.
The university’s alert system only includes incidents that take place on or near campus, Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers told Onwardstate.com.
The University also posted messages on Twitter about its alert system.
Penn State did not immediately return PEOPLE’s calls for comment.
source: people.com
