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Three Dead After Shootings At State College Ramada Hotel, Tussey Lane Home

Update 10:40 a.m. Friday, Jan. 25: Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers confirmed the identities of the three people killed in a shooting that occurred last night at the Ramada Inn on South Atherton Street and a residence on Tussey Lane.

Around 10:15 p.m., 21-year-old Jordan Witmer, of Bellefonte, shot and killed 62-year-old Dean Beachy of Millersburg, Ohio, and critically injured a male and female who have not been identified. They were taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center then transported by Life Flight to another hospital, Police Chief John Gardner said. The female is believed to be Witmer’s current or former girlfriend.

Witmer left in a car and crashed on Waupelani Drive. From there he broke into a home on Tussey Lane, where police say he shot and killed 83-year-old George McCormick.

McCormick’s wife locked herself in a bathroom and called 911. 

Witmer shot himself in the face and was dead when police arrived, Gardner said.

It was not yet known if Witmer knew any of the deceased and the investigation is ongoing, Sayers said in a news release. Gardner said that only one shooter was involved and Sayers described the shooting as an isolated incident.

Update 1:17 a.m. Friday, Jan. 25: Police Chief John Gardner spoke to the media outside the Ramada Hotel in State College, confirming the deaths of three people — a woman who was shot in the chest at the Ramada, a man whose home on Tussey Lane was broken into, and the shooter.

Two other victims who had been shot — one female, one male — have also been shot, and they were taken to Mt. Nittany Medical Center and later life flighted from there. They’re in critical condition right now. The suspect, the shooter, left this area in a car and subsequently crashed that vehicle up on Waupelani Drive, at that particular point up there. He then entered a residence on Tussey Lane up there and broke his way in, may even have shot his way in, we’re still trying to piece that together. He shot a male individual — shot and killed a male individual in there. His wife was present, but she locked herself in a bathroom and called 9-1-1. By the time our officers got there, the perpetrator had shot himself in the face and was deceased.

John Gardner, State College Police Chief

Original story: A woman was shot in the chest and killed at the Ramada Hotel in State College late Thursday night, as first reported by WTAJ.

Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers confirmed three deaths to the Centre Daily Times, but could not provide additional details. The coroner was dispatched to the Ramada and to the Tussey Lane location, according to dispatch scanners.

Police continue to investigate and it’s unclear whether the suspect remains at large. The suspect was identified as a 5’7″ 21-year-old white male from Bellefonte who fled the scene on foot wearing grey outerwear.

According to the Centre County Law Enforcement Dispatch, police found and identified a car crashed on Waupelani Drive believed to be connected to the case, but no one was nearby. That scene was later secured, with a car in a ditch across the street from the State College YMCA. The car was towed from that location at approximately 12:15 a.m. Friday.


WTAJ reported the suspect was last seen on Tussey Lane off Waupelani, and most police left from the scene at the Ramada. According to the police scanner, EMS was dispatched to a residence on Tussey Lane, where the suspect allegedly broke in and shot another victim.

The clinical coordinator from Mount Nittany Medical Center could not confirm whether the hospital was on any sort of lockdown.

We’ll continue to update this post as the situation develops.

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About the Author

Anthony Colucci

Anthony Colucci was once Onward State’s managing editor and preferred walk-on honors student who majored in psychology and public relations. Despite being from the make-believe land of Central Jersey, he was never a Rutgers fan. If you ever want to know how good Saquon Barkley's ball security is, ask Anthony what happened when he tried to force a fumble at the Mifflin Streak. If you want to hear the story or are bored and want to share prequel memes, follow @_anthonycolucci on Twitter or email him at [email protected]. All other requests and complaints should be directed to Onward State media contact emeritus Steve Connelly.

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