WCAU-TV/Reuters

Joe Paterno and his wife, Sue, greeted a mix of supporters and reporters on their porch after news broke that he had been fired as Penn State coach last night.

Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette/AP

An angry mob of students flipped a TV van in the hours after the decision was announced.

Matt Rourke/AP

Police in riot gear patrolled the streets in State College, Pa. Paterno was fired in the wake of child sex-abuse allegation against his former assistant.

Pat Little/Reuters

Thousands of students flooded into the streets after learning of Paterno's dismissal.

Tim Shaffer/REUTERS

Penn State Board of Trustees vice chairman John Surma, right, announced the departures of Paterno and school president Graham Spanier.

Pat Little/Reuters

The news of Paterno's dismissal came in a 10 p.m. news conference, after which supporters for Paterno rallied.

Gene J. Puskar/AP

Other protesters tried to point attention toward the alleged victims of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Joe Hermitt/The Patriot-News/AP

Earlier in the day, Paterno, who had been the Penn State coach for 46 years, was following his usual routine at practice.

Joe Hermitt/The Patriot-News/AP

Sue Paterno picked up a bouquet of flowers from her porch after the crowd dispersed from their lawn.

Tim Shaffer/REUTERS

Paterno's supporters chanted for him and loudly protested the decision by the Board of Trustees.