A vigil will be held on Monday afternoon to honor the victims of Thursday’s shootings in State College.
It will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Allen Street Gates. Community organization Standing at the Gates for Justice is organizing the vigil, and will be joined by 3rd Way Collective, Ni-Ta-Nee NOW and Mom’s Demand Action Centre Region Chapter.
‘Our weekly vigil will focus on the recent State College shooting,’ Standing at the Gates for Justice’s Facebook event post said. ‘Join us as we remember, mourn, and imagine a better world moving forward.’
Father and son Dean and Steven Beachy were fatally shot and 21-year-old Nicole Abrino was critically injured when Jordan Witmer, of Benner Township, opened fire at about 10:15 p.m. Thursday inside P.J. Harrigan’s Bar and Grill, 1450 S. Atherton St., according to State College police. After fleeing, Witmer crashed his car then broke into a Tussey Lane home where he fatally shot resident George McCormick before taking his own life.
Police said on Friday they did not yet know what motivated Witmer to begin shooting. It also appeared Witmer chose the McCormick home at random, shooting through a sliding glass door to gain entry. McCormick’s wife, Joann, was unharmed after she locked herself in another room and called 911.
According to his obituary, Thursday was the McCormicks’ 60th wedding anniversary.
A survivor of polio earlier in life, 82-year-old George McCormick was a father of three, grandfather of six and great-grandfather of four. He was retired from Penn State, where he was a food supervisor and vending manager. After retiring, he owned a lawn care business.
McCormick was active with the Knights of Columbus and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State.
‘George was always first to help when help was needed, even though handicapped with one good hand [from his bout with polio],’ his obituary said. ‘He will be sorely missed.’
His funeral is scheduled for Monday in State College.
George McCormick
The Beachys, of Millersburg, Ohio, also did not appear to know Witmer and were in the area for a horse auction in Penns Valley. Dean Beachy, 62, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was a well-regarded horse auctioneer who owned and operated Beachy Auction Service, according to the Wooster (Ohio) Daily Record.
He is survived by his wife and three other sons.
Dean Beachy
Steven Beachy, 19, who died on Friday at UPMC Altoona, was a horseman as well and was a recent graduate of Hiland High School, where he also played baseball.
“I don’t know what he was going to do with his life, but he was going to do it well,” family friend Jerry Haws told the Daily Record.
“He was a passionate kid — whether it was baseball or going on mission trips,’ Hiland baseball coach Chris Dages told the Daily Record. ‘Whatever he was doing, he did it with 110 percent. He was the type of person who just bounced into class or my office whenever I saw him.”
Funeral services for Dean and Steven Beachy will be held Tuesday in Mount Hope, Ohio, according to their obituaries.
Steven Beachy
Abrino, who was at the bar with Witmer and had a previous relationship with him, was critically injured when Witmer shot her in the chest. She was first taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center then flown by Life Flight to UPMC in Pittsburgh.
According to a GoFundMe campaign established to help with her medical bills, Abrino underwent surgery upon arrival in Pittsburgh and was stable but sedated afterwards. She had a second surgery on Saturday morning.
‘She still has a long journey ahead of her, including the possibility of more surgeries, PT, continued doctors visits and hospital stays,’ the page says. ‘Nicole still has her whole life ahead of her and continues to fight everyday. We are putting together this gofundme to assist her and her parents with the medical bills they will soon be burdened with. Also to help with her parents and older sister who have had to miss work to be by her side in Pittsburgh. Please continue to keep Nicole in your prayers.’
Nicole Abrino
Witmer had a carry permit for the gun, State College Police Chief John Gardner said on Friday. A 2015 graduate of Bellefonte Area High School, he had recently completed three years of active duty in the U.S. Army and left the service in good standing in December, relatives told PennLive. He had planned to continue in the reserves and talked about becoming a police officer.
“He had a promising future in front of him,” his uncle Robert Witmer, of Leola, Pa., told PennLive. “We’re all blown away. We can’t even believe it’s him. This seemed to come out of nowhere.”
Police said on Friday that Witmer did not appear to have a criminal record. However, as first reported by PennLive, Witmer pleaded guilty on Jan. 14 to three misdemeanors related to an October DUI crash in Elkton, Ky., about 22 miles from Fort Campbell where he had been stationed with the 101st Airborne Division.
Witmer reportedly ran a stop sign, nearly hitting two other vehicles, then crashed and walked away from the scene. After he was located by police, Witmer was visibly intoxicated and told officers that he was ‘too drunk to know’ where he was. A breath test showed he had a blood-alcohol content of .171, according to police.
He ultimately had charges reduced and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of reckless driving and endangerment. A judge ordered him to pay fines and complete an online substance abuse course by March 19.
State College police are continuing to investigate Thursday’s shootings and anyone who may have information is asked to the State College Police Department at (814) 234-7150, by email or submitting an anonymous tip through the department’s website.
