PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
February 12, 2026 (3:53 PM)
Photo credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Gavin McKenna’s felony assault case just swung on confirmed video footage, and Penn State hockey fans can finally exhale.
Investigators have street camera video of the January 31 incident in downtown State College, and that review is the main reason prosecutors backed off the top charge.
Centre County DA Bernie Cantorna withdrew the felony aggravated assault after saying the video does not show intent to cause serious bodily injury.
The alleged punch-up happened around 8:45 p.m. near the Pugh Street Parking Garage, after Penn State’s outdoor loss to Michigan State at Beaver Stadium.
Police say McKenna threw two punches, and the 21-year-old victim needed surgery and had his jaw wired shut for about two weeks.
Early reports claimed injuries on both sides of the jaw and a missing tooth, but the DA later said it was fractures on one side and no tooth knocked out.
McKenna was arraigned and released on $20,000 unsecured bail while the case moved quickly.
Gavin McKenna and the Penn State Nittany Lions feel the pressure
If you’re a Penn State fan, you hate the headline, but you also know the video detail is the first real hint this won’t wreck his season.
The preliminary hearing that was originally set for Wednesday, February 11 has now been rescheduled for March 11.
That delay matters, because it buys time, lowers the temperature, and keeps this from turning into a weekly circus around the rink.
McKenna is 18 and eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, with “top pick” buzz that just got a harsh reality check.
On the ice, he has 11-21-32 in 24 games, and that’s why every update lands like a bodycheck.
The felony dropping does not mean the night never happened; it means the most severe legal standard likely could not be proved on the footage.
Now the next milestone is March 11, and until then, every shift he takes will feel louder than it should.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
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Investigators confirm video evidence of Gavin McKenna’s assault
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