A published news report has identified the Harrison cop who sources say shot one of three suspected burglars near Interstate 287 as police surrounded their vehicle on Oct. 17.
Citing unnamed sources, LoHud.com is reporting Harrison Police Lieutenant Vito Castellano fired his AR-15 rifle at least two times as police prepared to make the arrests, striking one of the suspects as well as Harrison Police Detective Stephen Barone.
Barone was struck in his bulletproof vest, possibly by a ricocheted bullet, according to the report. The wounded suspect, Daniel Dibiase, 55, has been recovering at Westchester Medical Center under police guard since the incident.
According to the report, Castellano's gun may have gone of accidentally because there were no threatening movements inside the vehicle.
Police also arrested Carmine Stanzione (a.k.a. Paul Dibiase), 57, and Jason Foskey, 34. The three were traveling together in a Chevrolet Trailblazer when they were stopped at about 6:40 p.m. the night of the arrests, police say. All three suspects face felony charges and are suspects in a number of burglaries throughout the region.
Although police provided Patch with details of their investigation into the three suspects this week, Police Chief Anthony Marraccini has declined to provide any details of the events leading up to the shooting, citing an on-going investigation.
When asked about the report Thursday, Marraccini called the possible leak "outrageous" and said it threatens a critical investigation.
"I don't believe that the release of information is fair to the department, it's not fair to the county police department who are doing an outstanding job during the course of our investigation," Marraccini said. "The sensationalism and pre-mature release of information is self-serving for the news agencies that are putting it out there."
Harrison police asked county police to conduct their own investigation into the shooting shortly after the arrests. County Police spokesperson Kieran O'Leary said Thursday his department is still working on that investigation.
"We haven't reached any conclusions yet," he said.
Marraccini declined to discuss the shooting Thursday, but said he is hopeful the investigation will be complete at some point next week.
Harrison Police had tracked Stanzione, Dibiase and Foskey for weeks before making the arrests on Oct. 17. Marraccini said this week police used a GPS tracking device, sound bugs and other devices as they followed the men "from Poughquag to Harrison to Far Hills, New Jersey."
The three are suspects in two local home invasions—one on Sept. 3 and another on Oct. 11.
The case against the three men was moved into federal court last week and the three men have since been linked to incidents in Bedford and New Canaan, CT.
"It's important to keep in mind that we have taken three extremely dangerous, violent felons off of our streets," Marraccini said Thursday.
"Unfortunately, we don't stack library books for a living," he added, "police work is just that, and unfortunately comes along with many dangers."
Marraccini said this week police had reason to believe the men were armed during last week's arrest. Police later found a loaded handgun hidden in the suspects' vehicle. The .40 caliber handgun was hidden inside a bag containing gloves, ski masks and other burglar's tools, Marraccini said, adding that the gun was stolen from a member of the Putnam County Sheriff's department.
Police later found another loaded .40 caliber handgun and $55,000 cash in Foskey's home, according to a statement from police.
Marraccini also said he is confident the three men had plans to burglarize a home in Harrison or Rye the night of the arrests.
Police believe Dibiase, Stanzione and Foskey had been working together for more than a year. Dibiase and Stanzione are brothers through adoption and both have extensive criminal records, Marraccini said. The two lived together in Poughquag, NY.
Foskey is engaged to Dibiase's sister and lived with her in Stormville, NY.
