A New York City high school football star was allowed to return to the field to play in the city championships in Yankee stadium after being bailed out for an attempted murder charge.
Rahmel Ashby of Brooklyn was arrested in April last year after he allegedly shot a gun into a crowd, wounding three people.
On Sunday, fans cheered on the 17-year-old running back during the PSAL Championship Division title game at Yankee Stadium — despite his pending attempted murder charge.
On Sunday, fans cheered on the 17-year-old running back during the PSAL Championship Division title game at Yankee Stadium — despite his pending attempted murder charge.
Ashby, a senior at Grand Street Campus High School in East Williamsburg and one of the top 40 running backs in the state, made bail but on October 20 this year, but was taken into custody for a second time after police say they found him carrying a loaded .380 semi-automatic handgun.
Once again, he made bail — this time on a $500,000 bond — just in time to play for his school's big championship game against on Sunday.
Ashby's team won 28-26.
"The idea that my child is out there with him actually scares me," the woman told NY1 about her son playing someone charged with attempted murder. "Something has to change."
A high school referee from Brooklyn, agreed Ashby should not be allowed to play.
"These are serious charges," the ref, who would not be named, told the NY Daily News. "Other students aren't allowed to play for a lot less."
But the fans came to Ashby's defense.
One of Ashby's fellow students, who declined to give his name, insisted Ashby was "a good person."
"He didn't do any of that," the teen said. "He's a good football player too. He should be able to play. He'll deal with the other stuff later."
The 5-5, 150-pound Ashby played in seven regular season games, scoring seven touchdowns for Grand Street Campus this season even though the city Department of Education claims it has strict rules regarding the eligibility of students to play.
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