*, The Behrend College nsasssn
/ %S s org.
„ US POSTAGE
* Collegian a
Thursdt S her 19, 1996 Erie, PA 16563 VoIXLV, No
eptemt
Shooting at Penn State
Sniper kills one student,
wounds another
by Danielle M. Murphy
Jennifer V. Colvin
Editors in Chief
Despite a purple mowhawk and a high
powered rifle, no one noticed a young
woman sitting on a tarp under an apple
tree Tuesday morning at University Park.
But she became the center of attention
when she allegedly opened fire on students
at approximately 9:35 a.m., killing one
and injuring another.
Jillian Robbins, 19 of State College,
one seen an ark?
Wendy Scheil/CoUeQlsn PhotogrspfuM’
Singing In the rain: Behrend students and faculty were lucky to be on top of a hill.
by Doreen Foutz
News Editor
It rained for forty days and forty
nights, or so it seemed after the
intense rain Tuesday.
Several ‘ Millcreek homes
collapsed, and one floated off of
its foundation. The Millcreek
Mall parking lot was inundated
with approximately three and a
half feet of standing water. As
mall employees rolled up their
pants and donned rain slickers and
umbrellas in an attempt to forge
through the lake, many of their
fired five shots toward College Avenue
from the northwest comer of the Hetzel
Union Building, said David Stormer,
assistant vice president for safety and
environmental services.
A 19 year-old Communications major at
Penn State, Melanie Spalla was shot from
about 138 feet away and died at the scene.
Another student was injured; Nicholas
Mensah, 22, was shot from about 300 feet
away in his abdomen and was operated on
Tuesday afternoon at Centre Community
Hospital where he is in the intensive care
unit listed in guarded condition.
cars were only visible from the
hood up.
Although there were no storm
related injuries, the storm left
many people with pools in their
basements and some, even had
pools in their living rooms.
According to the National
Weather Service the cause of the
torrential rainfall was a strong
upper-level storm system, which
in crossing the Great Lakes on
Tuesday picked up moisture.
Upon reaching land, all of the
clouds gave way at once.
The National Weather service
UPDATE: D.A. wants
capital case,no bail
Jftllian P. Robbins, 19, who allegedly filed in relation to the shooting incident
opened fire on Pout State During foe press conference, Gricar
changing classes Tuesday, is •ridheis considering this a capital case
to be arraigned when her health permits -tuse he believes foal Robbins
by District Magistrate Cartnine Prestia. created grave risk of death
Centre Country District Attorney Ray to others in addition to the victim of the
Gricar held a press conference at 3:00 murder.”
on yesterday in Befiefonte to In capital cases, there is no bail,
nanomtee foe charges against foe street A preliminary hearing has been
%>bbins. scheduled for Sept 26. Gricar
She has been chatged with first-degree emphasized that foe charges against
naihtor in foe death of 19-year old Robbins are “merely an accusation, and
Melanie Spalla. In addition, several she is considered innocent unless and
murder and assault charges have been until foe is proven guilty.”
measured from two to seven
inches of rainfall throughout Erie
County. The highest rainfall
measured was approximately
seven inches in McKean
Township near Interstate 79 off
West Road.
For comparison, the normal
September rainfall is 2.40 inches,
this year's rainfall for the month
of September is already up to
6.40 inches.
The current rainfall for the year
is 35.97 inches. The normal
year-to-date total is 28.16.
A witness to the shooting
tackled Robbins while she was
hunched over her the 7mm
Mauser trying to load the second
clip according to Stormer;
Brendon Malovrh, an aerospace
engineering student from
Downingtown, Pa, subdued
Robbins and wrestled the gun
away from her.
While struggling with her,
Stormer reported that Robbins
pulled a knife and tried to stab
Malovrh who stepped back;
Robbins stabbed herself in the
leg, severing an artery.
When University police arrived
at the scene, Malovrh had already
fashioned a tourniquet on
Robbins with his belt.
“She said she fired five shots
and saw two people fall. ”
--David Stormer, bn conversation
with Jillian Robbins
Robbins remains at Centre
Community Hospital undo'
police guard where she is
recovering from surgery. She
was arrested at the scene.
According to Stormer,
Robbins, who is not a Penn
State student, knew none of her
victims.
“She said she fired five shots
and saw two people fall,”
Stormer said.
Police said that a third student
later gave them a book from his
bag that he had been wearing
during the shooting which had a
Stormer said Mensah was
probably shot first. He had been
walking along a path between the
HUB lawn and Health and Human
Development Building East near
the gazebo, he said.
According to police, the
investigation is still continuing
and they will try to reconstruct
the event in the upcoming weeks.
Stormer said that Robbins gave
no reason for the shooting.
“They asked her why she did it.
She kept saying, ‘I don’t know.
1 don’t know,’“ said a witness to
Robbins’ arrest, John Lazo
(administration of justice,
senior).
Another witness, Kara
Pehanich (secondary education.
sophomore) said that she heard
the shots before seeing anything.
“I heard the first two shots and
when I looked over, I saw the
person with a gun under a tree in
the comer,” she said. “Then I
heard two more shots.”
She said that shrubs around the
lawn prevented her from seeing
the victims fall, but she heard a
man ask for someone to call
University Health Services and
the poir e
see SNIPER page 3