State College residents mourn Paterno's death

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Penn State fans are gathering at a statue of longtime coach Joe Paterno after his family announced he died.

Fifty to 75 fans had gathered late Sunday morning and more are streaming in. In front of the statue lies candles, posters, flowers, T-shirts and pom-poms.

Steve Wrath is a 1984 Penn State alum who drove to the statue outside the university's football stadium after hearing of Paterno's death. He says Paterno "has done so much for this university, community and the state of Pennsylvania."

He says the circumstances of the child sex abuse scandal that has rocked the program were unthinkable and he doesn't want to belittle the possible abuse victims but believes that Paterno's legacy will overcome it.

Paterno's family has announced that the coach died Sunday.