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Beaver Avenue Ablaze
Riot trail littered with charges, destruction
By MARK PARFITT
Collegian Staff Writer
What started out as people gathering on a street corner in the
early morning of July 12 became the most talked-about event of
the summer.
PHOTO: Galen Lentz
Police block rioters at about 4 a.m. July 12 near Penn State Sub Shop on Beaver Avenue.
The riot quickly grew as people in high-rise apartment buildings
such as Penn Tower, 255 E. Beaver Ave., Alexander Court, 309 E.
Beaver Ave., and Cedarbrook Apartments, 320 E. Beaver Ave., threw
a trash can and other objects off balconies and into the streets.
State College police said more than 1,500 people showed up in
less than 10 minutes.
During the riot several fires were set, including one fueled by
furniture, broken tree limbs, trash and landscape ties. People
danced around the fires, some tossing their own clothing into
the flames. Other students used the fires to toast hot dogs on
sticks.
Unlike past victory celebrations following football games, State
College police said the riot was about nothing. They officially
attributed the riot to too many people abusing alcohol.
Penn State President Graham Spanier arrived after his son heard
about it on the radio. Spanier said he came because he was concerned
Penn State students were involved.
Thirty-three street lamps were torn down, three store fronts were
broken and parking meters, street signs and several vehicles were
also damaged. State College Borough estimated $150,000 of property
was destroyed or damaged as a result of the riot.
After 2½ hours, the riot ended as police officers dispersed
the crowd. State College police were assisted by Penn State Police
Services, Pennsylvania State Police, Ferguson, Patton and Spring
township police departments and the Bellefonte Police Department.
Sixteen police officers sustained minor injuries during the riot.
Police officers arrested 20 people and charged them immediately
with riot-related crimes. Others were charged in the weeks following
the riot. The charges some of them face include disorderly conduct,
riot, arson, risking a catastrophe and criminal mischief. The
charge of riot can carry a maximum of seven years in prison.
The next step State College police took was posting photos of rioters on the World Wide Web accessible at www.gov.state-college.pa.us. Several of those individuals pictured on the web site have been identified.
- See the Collegian's riot coverage for more stories.
