More than two dozen people are facing likely charges in connection with the Nov. 9 riot in downtown State College, municipal police said Wednesday.

Four people had been arrested as of Wednesday afternoon, and a fifth arrest was imminent, police Lt. Keith Robb said.

He said police-prepared cases against 10 more people are awaiting review by the Centre County district attorney's office. On top of those, borough officers are still working on cases against 12 other people, Robb said.

Further, he said, police are looking to follow up with five "persons of interest" identified via the borough website.

That brings to 32 the total number of suspects and people of interest being pursued by local officials. Most of the 32 appear to be Penn State students, Robb said.

The bulk of the riot-related charges will center on property damage and disorderly conduct, he said. He emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, with additional riot images obtained via WJAC TV and WTAJ TV yet to be posted on the borough website.

Both stations were served with search warrants for footage, Robb said. Borough police also are obtaining footage from northeastern-Pennsylvania-based WNEP TV, which is providing images voluntarily, he said.

WTAE TV, based in Pittsburgh, is facing a subpoena for its riot footage, according to Robb. Police have secured riot imagery that's publicly available via ESPN and ABC news coverage, as well.

As they've received riot images from various sources, borough authorities have posted the visuals on the borough website. They have encouraged the general public to go there and help identify the people pictured.

"We actually anticipate a lot more activity (on that front) once the students return from break," Robb said Wednesday. Penn State is largely shut down this week for the Thanksgiving holiday.

People who see themselves in riot images online should approach and talk with police voluntarily, to give their version of events, Robb said.

"If you're seen on video, if you're seen on the website, come in and give your side of the story," he said.

In fact, Robb said, one man who saw himself on the borough website was cleared after he approached police. The man explained that, when his image was captured, he had been trying to break up a disturbance, Robb said.

"We want the truth," Robb said.

He said police have no estimate concerning how many people may be charged in connection with the riot. It broke out in the wake of Joe Paterno's firing as the Penn State head football coach.

The latest damage estimate is $32,000, but that accounts only for damage to public property such as light poles and other infrastructure, Robb said. The cost of damage to private vehicles -- nine or 10 in total -- and the cost of police expenses have yet to be announced.

"We're getting what we can get," Robb said of the ongoing investigation. At some point, he said, the evidence will be exhausted.

"We're just taking it slow," he said, "and eventually we'll get through it."

In related news, police are looking into the role of the news media in the riot, according to WJAC TV. And police have issued warrants to search some students' mobile devices for content, the Collegian reported.

Related content

• Paterno, Spanier out at Penn State; Riot Develops in State College (Nov. 10, 2011)

• Police: State College Riot-Suspect Images Now Online (Nov. 17, 2011)
  

• StateCollege.com's earlier and ongoing coverage of the Penn State-charges situation