STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – It took almost 12 hours from the time Timothy Piazza, 19, fell down a set of basement stairs at a Penn State fraternity before an ambulance was called, police said Monday afternoon.
Piazza, a 2015 graduate of Hunterdon Central Regional High School, died from injuries suffered in the fall, police said.
Lt. Keith Robb of the State College police department said police were first called to the Alpha Upsilon chapter house of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at 10:49 a.m. Friday, after an ambulance was called for Piazza.
Police were told he had fallen down a set of basement steps at around 11 p.m. Thursday while attending a party. Piazza, who was pledging at the fraternity, was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College before being flown to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, where he was pronounced dead on Saturday morning, Robb said.
The State College Police Department gave an update for the active investigation of Timothy Piazza’s death at Beta Theta Pi. pic.twitter.com/oXC1utM5i3
— Katerina Pro (@_KatPro_) February 6, 2017
Although an autopsy will not be conducted until Tuesday, Robb said it is believed he died from the injuries sustained in the fall.
Robb said police are getting surveillance camera footage from inside the fraternity as part of its investigation. He said the fraternity is cooperating with police.
The fraternity has suspended operations, according to a statement released on Monday afternoon.
“Our chapter is mourning the loss of Tim Piazza, a student who recently accepted an invitation to join our fraternity,” the chapter said in a statement. “We are working closely with our General Fraternity to determine how this happened, and are fully cooperating with police and Penn State administrators in their own investigations … our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this difficult time.”
Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Caps also wrote in a statement that students are being offered counseling through the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
Student dies after fall at Penn State fraternity
“Our deepest sympathy goes out to Tim’s family and friends during this mournful time,” she wrote.
Nancy Tucker, communications officer at Hunterdon Central, said in a statement: “The administration and staff of Hunterdon Central offer our deepest sympathy to the Piazza family and friends during this difficult time.”
Piazza, who was studying engineering at Penn State, played football while at Hunterdon Central. He also was on the spring track team, taking part in shot put, javelin and discus, according to NJ Advance Media archives and his college profile. His older brother, Michael, is also a student at Penn State.
A member of the Homecoming Court in 2014, he also served as a Red Devil ambassador at Hunterdon Center and on the school’s Teen Prevention Education Program. He volunteered with the Hunterdon Outreach Program to help teach special needs children football, basketball and baseball.
Piazza also took part in the Hopeful Holidays and Readington’s Holiday Gifts Program, donating Christmas and holiday gifts to those in need. In his junior and senior years, he also tutored upper level math and science.
Craig Turpin may be reached at cturpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NJeditor. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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