SOUTHWEST GREENSBURG, Pa. — A 45-year-old man is facing multiple charges after allegedly breaking into a Southwest Greensburg apartment, assaulting a man, and holding him at knifepoint. Shawn Ballantyne was arrested Tuesday evening following the incident on the 400 block of Oakland Avenue.
Southwest Greensburg Police responded to a disturbance and found Ballantyne standing on the porch of the property while the victim and his son had fled to a neighbor’s house across the street. According to the victim, he was asleep on his couch when Ballantyne broke in, held a knife to his neck, and punched him multiple times while threatening to kill him.
The victim managed to escape with his son after pushing Ballantyne away. Police later learned that Ballantyne had no legal claim to the property. The landlord confirmed that Ballantyne had repeatedly trespassed in the vacant upstairs apartment despite being warned to leave on multiple occasions.
Ballantyne was charged with burglary, aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment, criminal trespassing, and public drunkenness. He was taken to jail with bail set at $10,000.
