William Michael Stankewicz (1945 – November 27, 2023) was an American teacher who attacked educators and children at North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School in Red Lion, Pennsylvania, in 2001. Stankewicz attacked 11 kindergarteners, two teachers, and the principal with a machete.
William Michael Stankewicz | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 Johnson City, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | (aged 78) |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Motive | Retaliation for his ex-wife's divorce and molestation accusations |
| Criminal charge | Attempted murder |
| Penalty | 132 to 264 years in prison |
| Details | |
| Date | February 2, 2001 |
| Location(s) | Red Lion, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Target(s) | North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School |
| Killed | 0 |
| Injured | 14 |
| Weapon | Machete |
Background
editStankewicz said he attacked the victims because he was angry about the failure of his marriage six years earlier. His wife, Larisa Montgomery, a mail-order bride from Russia,[1] had divorced him, remarried, and alleged that he had molested his stepdaughters.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Stankewicz had retaliated these accusations by threatening the life of Montgomery and her lawyer, after which he spent 2 years in federal prison.[8]
Attack
editOn February 2, 2001, Stankewicz drove from his home in Johnson City, Tennessee, to York County. Along the way, he tried to buy a gun but failed the mandatory background check.[citation needed] As such, he resorted to using a 2-foot-long machete.[8] At around midday, he attacked North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School, injuring 14 people in total, some with broken bones,[8] though no one's injuries were life-threatening.[9]
Principal Norina Bentzel stopped the attack by jumping on Stankewicz and pinning him down, despite having been severely injured by hits from the machete.[6]
Aftermath
editStankewicz was charged with 39 offences for the attack and subsequently sentenced to 132 to 264 years' imprisonment, one of the longest prison sentences in York County history.[8]
In a December 2010 letter from prison, he declared to have no remorse for his actions, instead blaming his ex-wife and United States immigration officials and congressmen for the attack and declaring himself a "victim".[6]
On November 27, 2023, Stankewicz was found unresponsive in his cell at the State Correctional Institution – Dallas and was subsequently declared dead. He was 78.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Man says machete attack was attempt 'to be poetic'". Arizona Daily Sun. February 12, 2001. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ^ Cadiz, Laura (February 5, 2001). "Ex-wife says she feared man accused in Pa. school attack". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Marital troubles of suspect recalled - tribunedigital-baltimoresun". Articles.baltimoresun.com. February 4, 2001. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- ^ "Reading Eagle - Google News Archive Search". January 25, 2013. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013.
- ^ "Beaver County Times - Google News Archive Search". January 24, 2013. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Image Viewer". www.ydr.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ [1] Archived September 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d Maenza, Anthony. "Man who attacked Red Lion kindergartners in 2001 dies in prison". York Dispatch. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ^ "Man allegedly wielded machete in school".
- ^ Halpin, Jim (November 27, 2023). "Notorious school machete attacker William Stankewicz dies in prison". York Daily Record. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
