A night of deadly violence in Happy Valley. The State College shooting spree, 5 years later

Wednesday marked five years since one of the deadliest killings in recent Centre County history, a nearly unprecedented level of gun violence that saw three people fatally shot by a man they did not know.

A 21-year-old Benner Township gunman killed Dean Beachy, 62, and his son Steven Beachy, 19, at P.J. Harrigan’s Bar & Grill. He also seriously injured a 21-year-old woman he was at the bar with when he shot her in the chest with a 9mm handgun.

He then fled the restaurant, crashed his vehicle, shot his way into a Tussey Lane home, killed homeowner George McCormick, 82, and then himself.

His blood alcohol content was 0.223%, nearly three times the legal limit to drive. He was not under the influence of any drugs and there was no evidence of an argument or fight between him and any of those he shot, borough police said.

The shooter had a legal gun permit. Investigators never identified a motive.

“If you’re looking for reason, I don’t think we’re going to find it,” Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna said at a 2019 press conference. “There is no good reason for any of this to have occurred. None of these individuals did anything to provoke any type of a response. It is simply senseless killings.”

That remains true today, with Cantorna saying last week the shootings were fueled by alcohol, emotion and access to a firearm. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, Cantorna said, and the shootings that shocked Happy Valley were unplanned.

A dad and renowned horse auctioneer

Dean Beachy, of Ohio, was eating dinner when he was killed at the restaurant. A staple at horse auctions, Beachy was in the area for a horse auction in Penns Valley.

A longtime friend described Beachy as a “great auctioneer” who was “very well known and regarded” in the horse industry. Another described him as “the best horse auctioneer there was.”

The executive director of a racehorse adoption program in Ohio said Beachy was talented, beloved and humble. He was often willing to offer his time, money, wisdom and experience to help others.

He was survived by his wife — whom he married in fall September 1991 — and three sons.

A son, brother and baseball player with a bright future

Steven Beachy was the youngest of four brothers. He died the day after the shootings at UPMC Altoona.

Beachy, his former high school baseball coach said, was a “passionate kid” in every aspect of life and was a leader on the team. He also worked with his two middle brothers on buying and trading horses.

“Stevie was a leader on the team, whether he was on the field or not,” Chris Dages told PennLive. “He was always encouraging his teammates. His teammates respected him, knew him, loved being around him. He would just draw guys into him with his energy.”

A chance encounter

McCormick and his wife celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary the day the gunman shot his way into their home. State College police Chief John Gardner said he believed the shooter chose the house at random.

McCormick was fatally shot, while his wife was unharmed after she locked herself in another room and called 911.

McCormick was a foods supervisor and vending manager at Penn State. He owned a lawn care business in retirement. A survivor of polio, he was remembered in his obituary as “always first to help when help was needed, even though handicapped with one good hand.”

Lone survivor faced long road to recovery

The lone survivor of the shootings faced a challenging road to recovery. In the months after the shooting, she could neither walk unassisted nor stand for long periods of time. She also lost some feeling in her legs.

A page on the fundraising site GoFundMe raised nearly $18,000 to help cover her medical expenses, which included at least eight surgeries.

She has rarely spoken publicly about the shooting or her recovery, but Cantorna said during the 2019 press conference she asked him to thank everyone who supported or reached out to her.

She married in October 2019, about nine months after the shooting.

Police officer awarded for heroics

Patton Township police officer Brian Shaffer won a share of the 2019 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for his swift actions that helped save the woman’s life.

With no medical gear available to him, Shaffer used his hands to seal her chest wound. He was able to get information from her about the shooter at the same time and kept her from losing consciousness by talking to her.

Shaffer said at a 2020 ceremony that receiving the award was “humbling.”

“I’m glad that she’s alive and I hope that she goes forward and leads a good, long, healthy life. I know she’s got a long road,” Shaffer said after receiving the award. “I didn’t know her before that day and I still don’t know much of anything about her. But that’s part of my job, to interact with people you don’t know at all and you’re called to protect them. I just hope that I did that.”

Centre County First Assistant District Attorney Sean McGraw credited Shaffer for his “exemplary courage, resolve, compassion, composure and, perhaps above all, extraordinary presence of mind.”

Township police Chief Tyler Jolley praised Shaffer’s bravery, adding he was “extremely proud” of his officer.

Shooter wanted to be a police officer, was honorably discharged from the Army

Ten days before his murderous rampage, the gunman pleaded guilty to an October 2018 DUI crash in Kentucky. He dodged a conviction on the most serious charges; the prosecutor said the case that was charged by his predecessor had serious flaws.

He returned to Centre County after he was honorably discharged from the Army the month before the shootings. Two extended family members told PennLive he expressed a desire to become a police officer.

One of his uncles said the shootings seemed to “come out of nowhere.” Another uncle said the violence stood in stark contrast to the man he knew, describing the only child as shy and quiet.

His parents split while he was in high school, his relatives said. They have not spoken publicly about the killings.

Cantorna said there were no indications the shooter was being treated for any mental illness. The woman he shot also told investigators she saw “no red flags.”

The shooter died by suicide.