WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. December 1, 2006 UPDATED December 4, 2006 11:30 P.M. EST: Chief James Bradley of the White Plains Department of Public Safety reported today to WPCNR that a 15 year old student accompanied by his parent (to police headquarters) that he was a victim of a robbery on the #60 bus (which picks up in front of Stepinac High School on Mamaroneck Avenue) the day before Thanksgiving Day. One of the victim's 3 alleged assailants all from Stepinac starred for Stepinac in the Turkey Bowl the next day.

Chief Bradley said the student victim left the Stepinac school Wednesday, November 22 at 11:00 A.M.  as part of early dismissal that day. The Chief reports to WPCNR “while en route to his destination his IPOD and cellphone were taken by three other students through intimidation and physical force. The victim was able to provide sufficient information to the investigating detectives for identifications of all three defendents.”

Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson, commenting to WPCNR today said identification issues were the reason arrests could not have been made sooner.

The Chief did not say whether the identities of the accused assailants were known to police last Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving Day.

One of the students was identified by The Journal News as Rashaad Slowley, of Mount Vernon,  the halfback for the Stepinac High School football team who on the following day after he was identified as an alleged participant in the robbery, played and lead Stepinac to victory in the Turkey Bowl Game. Slowley, 16, and fellow students at Stepinac, according to the Journal News account, Andrew Ricketts, 16, of Hartsdale, and  Viktorr Gaba, 17 of Greenburgh were arrested Monday and charged with second-degree robbery, a felony, and third-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

WPCNR has issued a followup question with the police why – if the alleged assailants were identified Wednesday – were they not arrested until five days later according to the Journal News report. Deputy Commissioner of Daniel Jackson told WPCNR Monday afternoon at Police Headquarters that there were some "identification issues" that could not be resolved that Wednesday evening, and that the police would not have delayed the arrests for a football game.

WPCNR asked Deputy Commissioner Daniel Jackson why the bus driver did not immediately report the violent incident to the police – his dispatcher – or the Westchester County Police. Mr. Jackson wrote WPCNR I should check with the County Department of Transportation for the bus driver protocol when a violent incident is taking place on a county bus.