Robbery suspect made racial comments

WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WIVB) - West Seneca Police confirm that William Shanahan is suspected of robbing a First Niagara Bank on Wednesday morning.  Shanahan made racially charged comments that shocked the Old First Ward and western New York in an interview with News 4 last summer.

The robbery happened at a First Niagara Bank in West Seneca , at 9 a.m. Wednesday. The suspect was able to escape with an undisclosed amount of money. Authorities say the suspect didn’t show a weapon during the time of the robbery.

Buffalo Police made the arrest Wednesday afternoon on Fillmore Avenue, just hours after the robbery, and turned the suspected bank robber over to the West Seneca Police.

Police say a friend drove Shanahan to the bank on Orchard Park Road, not knowing Shanahan intended to rob the branch. Detectives say Shanahan has had numerous run-ins with the law because of a drug problem, but this is his first attempt at robbing a bank.

Shanahan was also held at the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden in July of 2012 for a parole violation.  The comments he made to News 4 which some residents found racist sparked a dialog about race relations in the Queen City last summer.  Shanahan also appeared on 103.3 The Edge's Shredd and Ragan show to discuss his comments.  You can hear the audio from that segment here .

The West Seneca court says William Shanahan is scheduled to appear before a judge Friday at 9 a.m. Until then, he is being held in the Erie County Holding Center on charges of burglary, attempted robbery and petit larceny.