A tragic incident occurred yesterday in which the life of a 29-year-old black man was ended in an officer-involved shooting that occurred when State College Police Department (SCPD) officers were responding to a mental health warrant. The SCPD has stated that the Pennsylvania State Police is conducting an investigation and that steps are being taken to carefully examine this tragic incident.
The Penn State community offers our heartfelt sympathy to the family and all those affected. The loss of any life is a terrible tragedy. And while this incident happened beyond the borders of our campus, it is not beyond the borders of our University community.
We also understand that when a tragedy like this occurs, there are many questions and concerns. The investigatory process is underway, and law enforcement has pledged to keep the campus and community informed of its progress; the University appreciates their sensitivity to support the needs of our community.
For anyone in our University community -- faculty, staff or students -- who may be in need of assistance or support, Penn State offers the following resources:
- The Penn State Crisis Line (1-877-229-6400) is a 24/7 toll-free service staffed by licensed professionals available to all Penn Staters.
- Community members can text the 24/7 Crisis Text Line by texting “LIONS” to 741741.
- The Penn State Employee Assistance Program, through the EAP+Work/Life program, offers short-term counseling from licensed EAP professionals, by phone, email or in person to help employees better cope with personal, family and work issues. EAP also offers access to Personal Health Advocates, who can help navigate healthcare and insurance systems, efficiently and dependably. More information is available at https://hr.psu.edu/health-matters/employee-assistance-program.
It is important for every member of our community to offer support to those who are impacted, directly and indirectly, and to come together in times of grief.