Separating fact from fiction: What we know — and don’t know — in Gavin McKenna case
Ever since criminal charges first surfaced against Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna, after he was accused of breaking another man’s jaw, online rumors and speculation have run rampant.
McKenna was involved in the incident Jan. 31, and charges were filed Wednesday. Within hours of the latter, some fans already began debating the prospect of jail time while others openly discussed motives or the identity of the victim.
Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna announced Friday that his office was dropping the most serious charge, felony aggravated assault. But he also cautioned the public against further speculation, saying it hurt all involved.
“Now, one thing I would say, really, to both of these young people is that it’s extremely unfair, not right — and the online speculation about what did or did not happen causes injury to all concerned,” he said. “And I really would encourage that the public take note of that.”
In an effort to better lay out all the facts, here are some of the biggest questions, misconceptions and false claims we’ve seen:
What happened anyway? Let’s take this from the top, as a few established facts have changed since Friday. The following narrative is based on information only as presented in State College police’s affidavit of probable cause and as revised by the district attorney.
After the outdoor hockey game at Beaver Stadium on Jan. 31, McKenna met with others — the affidavit did not specify who or how many people — at Doggie’s Pub in downtown State College for a “hockey event.” Upon leaving, when McKenna was outside the pub near the Pugh Street Parking Garage, there was “an exchange of words” between the alleged victim, the alleged victim’s friends and the group McKenna was with. (The specifics of what were said were also not detailed.)
After words were exchanged around 8:45 p.m. — according to the DA, who reviewed footage of the incident with police — McKenna twice punched the 21-year-old man on the right side of his face, leaving blood on the pavement. The man was reported to have a fracture in two places to the right side of his jaw, and he had surgery Monday to correct it. (Police initially incorrectly reported both sides of the man’s jaw were broken and that he was missing a tooth.) Police said the man’s jaw would need to be wired shut for about two weeks, unless further medical intervention is necessary.
What are the charges? McKenna now faces only a misdemeanor count of simple assault and summary offenses of harassment and disorderly conduct. His most serious charge of felony aggravated assault was dropped Friday.
Why was his most serious charge dropped? Prosecutors dropped the charge of felony aggravated assault Friday. Typically, in serious cases, many police departments consult with prosecutors before filing charges. But the county district attorney said Friday that didn’t happen in this case, and prosecutors only reviewed documentation after the charges were already filed.
Once they reviewed the documentation and watched footage of the incident, Cantorna said prosecutors and police agreed that the most serious charge didn’t fit. Felony aggravated assault would’ve required McKenna to act “with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or with reckless indifference to the value of human life,” and both parties said the video didn’t show that. And, because the video didn’t show that, the hockey star’s most serious charge was dropped.
What kind of punishment or discipline is McKenna facing? Pennsylvania’s sentencing guidelines — which give judges recommendations as a starting point — calls only for a minimum of community service and/or probation for first-time offenders of misdemeanor simple assault, so it’s entirely possible (if not likely) that McKenna avoids jail time altogether.
Before, McKenna faced up to 20 years if convicted of the felony aggravated assault, although he was unlikely to receive anything close to that if convicted. Now, McKenna faces up to 2 years if convicted of the misdemeanor simple assault, although he’s unlikely to receive anything close to that if convicted. A lot remains at the discretion of the judge, but it’s more likely the minimums are at play here.
Any punishment from Penn State, however, remains unknown. The CDT contacted both the university and the athletic department about McKenna’s status with the team, and the response the CDT received did not directly address questions about a suspension. We might not have clarity on that until Penn State’s next game, which is Feb. 13 vs. Michigan.
Was McKenna drinking underage, and did that contribute to the incident? Because Doggie’s Pub is mentioned in the narrative, we’ve seen a number of rumors and questions circulate about McKenna and alcohol — but no such formal or credible accusations have been made. Neither the police nor district attorney have alleged any such thing.
Doggie’s Pub is not entirely restricted to those under 21, which is likely why there’s some confusion. It also serves pizzas and, according to its website, those underage are welcome before 7 p.m. and are welcome in the pub if accompanied by a parent. That typically applies Sunday through Thursday but varies Friday-Saturday based on the “events” taking place there. We reached out to Doggie’s Pub for comment and clarification on their policy but did not hear back. Still, around the State College area, it’s pretty typical for bars that serve food to remain open to everyone until later in the evening.
What was said to McKenna? Was his mother insulted? Again, the only fact we know for sure is that there was an “exchange of words” between parties, based on the affidavit of probable cause. Any information beyond that has come from second-hand sources, unnamed sources or online rumors, as neither McKenna nor the man who was assaulted — nor police, nor the DA — has publicly addressed what was said.
A source with knowledge of McKenna’s perspective told the CDT on Wednesday that the man began heckling McKenna and his mother, and the situation escalated when the person began name-calling his mother. Centre County’s top prosecutor declined to offer more detail Friday about what exactly was said, but he still wanted to make one thing clear.
“I would ask the public to refrain from speculating on what did or did not happen and to remind people of the fact that a verbal argument never, never justifies physical violence,” Centre County DA Bernie Cantorna said at Friday’s press conference.
Where’d the footage of the incident come from? Can I watch it? Just over a decade ago, State College Borough expanded its public security camera system from three cameras to 71. And the affidavit of probable cause makes clear that those street cameras captured footage of the incident, which police reviewed followed by the district attorney.
(Documents also mention footage from Doggie’s Pub. But that footage purportedly shows McKenna leaving the location and not of the incident itself.) No such videos have yet been publicly released. An individual may request the footage via certain transparency laws, but such footage is typically not released if it’s tied to an active investigation, which this still is.
Did McKenna have to post bail? He was released on $20,000 unsecured bail. For those unfamiliar with the system, “unsecured” bail simply means that McKenna didn’t have to post any money upfront — but, if he would fail to appear in court of if he would violate specific conditions, he would then be obligated to pay the full amount of $20,000. Unsecured bail is common for misdemeanor cases and cases where the defendant isn’t a flight risk.
What comes next? McKenna’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11, two days before the Nittany Lions’ next hockey game, which is on the road vs. Michigan.
This story was originally published February 7, 2026 at 3:36 PM.
