GREENSBURG, Pa. — A man is in custody after police say he threatened five Greensburg Salem High School Students while they were waiting for their bus to school early Thursday morning.
“I can’t believe it,” said Maria Denton, who lives near the bus stop.
That was the reaction from many in Greensburg.
Police were called to the intersection of West Otterman Street and North Hamilton Avenue just before 7 a.m. Thursday.
They said Troy Konieczny came out of his house on West Otterman Street with a fire poker with three knives attached to it.
According to police, Konieczny grabbed one of the students waiting for the bus and put the weapon under his arm and told him to hold it, and referred to the student with a racial slur.
“It’s a word obviously it’s not going anywhere, but you know what, this day and age, nobody has to put up with it,” Denton told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.
From there, police say Konieczny tapped another student on the shoulder and messed around with her backpack. Another student ran to her home nearby for a parent, who stayed with the students until they were safely on the bus.
Denton said she used that same bus stop as a kid, and her niece would too. But her niece gets driven to school, which she’s thankful for.
The school district sent a letter to parents — praising the work of the students.
“I want to commend our students for their calm and responsible actions during a frightening situation,” Superintendent Kenneth Bissel wrote. “I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the City of Greensburg Police Department for their prompt response and dedication to keeping our children safe.”
This isn’t the first time police have dealt with Konieczny. In October 2022, he was arrested after police said he smashed cars with a claw hammer and then threatened to kill neighbors because they didn’t come to his party.
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In both incidents, police said Konieczny smelled strongly of alcohol.
In his letter to the district, the Greensburg Salem Superintendent also said, “Incidents like this serve as an important reminder of the need to support mental health resources and education in our community. Ensuring access to proper care, education, and intervention for those struggling with mental illness is essential for the safety and well-being of all community members, most importantly, our children.”
Konieczny remains in the Westmoreland County Prison. Denton hopes he’s not allowed back at the apartment.
“The kids have no choice but to stand there or they sit on the steps to wait for the bus,” she said. “If he’s going to live there, it’s probably going to be an ongoing problem, so they probably shouldn’t let him back in the area.”
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