Penn State students in the fourth day of an anti-racism demonstration were alarmed Friday when word spread that police had found the body of a man in Centre County.
Although there is no indication that the body is related in any way to the racist death threat mailed to a black student leader on April 20, police increased security at the HUB-Robeson Center demonstration in response.
Pennsylvania State Police at Rockview confirmed the finding of a body along a dead end road in Snow Shoe Township, but had not determined the age, race or identity of the man. An autopsy is scheduled for later Saturday, police said.
At about 11:30 last night, student demonstrators in the HUB were alerted about the found body and the police investigation. A few hours after the announcement, security in the HUB rose.
At 2:45 a.m., students were asked to only enter and exit through the Pollock Road doors. Penn State Police Services stationed guards at doors in the building, which were locked from the outside with the exception of the main entrance.
Students were encouraged to travel in groups, and volunteers offered to walk or drive people home.
It was the second time students were alerted to a body found in Pennsylvania. Police said Tuesday night they found the body of an unidentified black man, this one in Camptown, Bradford County, about three hours away from State College.
Administrators including Vice Provost for Educational Equity Terrell Jones and Vice President for Student Affairs Bill Asbury arrived at the HUB at about 1:30 a.m.
Assata Richards, spokesperson for the Penn State Black Caucus, said the administrators were present to meet with parents of Penn State students concerned about their children's safety.
Richards also said the administrators were not there to continue negotiating on the students' demands for specific race-related changes at the university.
Despite rumors surrounding the discovery of the body, students tried to keep their spirits up, still chanting their nondenominational prayer every hour.
"The people feel comfortable here. They feel safe here," Richards said.
