Shooting still haunts Penn State

The Daily Collegian STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (U-WIRE) -- The day five shots rang out on the main campus lawn was a day few students will ever forget. It is the date marking one year since the death of a fellow student and the attempted murders of four others. One bullet on the lawn that morning resulted in the death of 21-year-old Melanie Spalla of Altoona, Pa. Another bullet wounded now 23-year-old Nicholas Mensah, a native of Ghana living in Philadelphia. That day, Jillian Robbins spread a tarp under trees in the northwest corner of the busy HUB lawn. At about 9:30 a.m., Robbins began firing her 7-mm Mauser rifle, apparently at random, at pedestrians she said she did not know. Robbins was disarmed by 1997 graduate Brendon Malovrh. Malovrh found Robbins behind the trees and wrestled the gun away from her. She then pulled out a knife and tried to stab him. Malovrh stepped out of the way, causing Robbins to stab herself in the thigh. Using his belt, Malovrh tried to stop her bleeding after she sat down. Robbins was arrested at the scene of the crime that morning. After a year of waiting, there still has not been a resolution to the crime. The date for Robbins' trial has not been set and Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar said he couldn't predict when jury selection will begin. Gricar will seek the death penalty for Robbins' one count of first-degree murder and one count of third-degree murder, he said. Robbins is also being tried on five counts of attempted murder and five counts of aggravated assault. Gricar expects Robbins will plead not guilty by reason of insanity. While students deal with the one-year anniversary of the shooting, they will not only be observing the day for a fellow student, but also remembering the mysterious 20-year-old woman who opened fire on their campus last year seemingly without motive.

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