State College community mourns man shot by police

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The branch of the Pennsylvania State Police that handles potential bias or hate crimes is helping to investigate the fatal police shooting of a State College man this past week.

State police Sgt. William Slaton, a commander within the Equality and Inclusion Office, was among dozens who attended a candlelight vigil Thursday at the Allen Street gates to mourn Osaze Osagie.

Borough police were trying to serve a mental health warrant Wednesday on Mr. Osagie, 29, at the Marvin Garden apartment complex on Old Boalsburg Road when an officer fatally opened fire, State College police Chief John Gardner has said. Mr. Osagie was an African American.

“… I just want to reassure the community that I am going to be taking a look at the investigation to make sure everything was conducted thoroughly,” Sgt. Slaton told reporters at the evening vigil.

The office met with community leaders Wednesday night, and Sgt. Slaton plans to review the investigation in conjunction with state police investigators, he said. Sgt. Slaton also said he understands African Americans who don’t feel safe.

“That’s understandable based on what’s going on in America, but you can’t associate every incident just because it has a white versus a black person with every type of hateful incident in America,” Sgt. Slaton said. He pledged transparency throughout the investigation, which he said has the full resources of the state police. “We’re expending every resource possible for this investigation,” Sgt. Slaton said.

Former State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham said the incident “broke her heart.”

“It has really touched the heart of our whole community,” Ms. Goreham said. “I hate to have a young black man killed by an officer here. I feel so sad for everybody.”

Daniel Florencio, a 2012 Penn State graduate who now lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said he graduated from State High with Mr. Osagie in 2007.

“He was a really nice guy,” Mr. Florencio wrote in an email. “Shy, soft-spoken and always kind and friendly in my interactions. This is a tragedy, he was a good soul.”

Borough Manager Tom Fountaine and Assistant Borough Manager of Public Safety Tom King both declined comment.

The involved borough officers have been placed on administrative leave, in line with borough police policy, Chief Gardner said.

Seven local groups, including Penn State’s Student Black Caucus, organized the roughly 30-minute vigil in downtown State College.