Police: Vick 'Of No Interest' in Shooting Probe
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Police: Vick 'Of No Interest' in Shooting Probe
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
The good news for Michael Vick this afternoon might be that the Virginia Beach police say he is "of no interest to us" as they investigate a shooting that occurred early this morning outside a restaurant where Vick reportedly had been celebrating his 30th birthday.
However, given the stringent protocols of Vick's reinstatement to football last year by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, it might not be a great thing for the Eagles' backup quarterback that a man identified by Virginia Beach General Hospital as Quanis Phillips, one of Vick's 2007 dogfighting codefendants, suffered a nonlifethreatening wound in the incident. Vick is not supposed to associate with anyone from his dogfighting days, after serving more than a year and a half in prison and being released on probation before his reinstatement last year.
Police spokesman Adam Bernstein said his department got a cell-phoned 911 call at 2:11 AM from someone who had heard an argument followed by a gunshot in the 4600 block of Columbus Street, in Virginia Beach's Town Center section. Officers arrived at the Guadalajara nightclub/restaurant and were told the victim had just gotten into a vehicle, to be driven to the hospital. The police stopped the vehicle, Bernstein, said, and transported the adult male victim by ambulance to the hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to his leg.
Bernstein said the officers' report characterized the victim as "very uncooperative," which he said was also the case with other witnesses. Bernstein said all police knew about the shooter was that he was said to be a black male wearing a white tank top, who left the area in a white Cadillac Escalade.
Hampton Roads (Va.) Daily Press Urban Affairs columnist David Squires blogged today that sources told him there was a dispute between Phillips and Vick that involved the smearing of birthday cake, before the shooting.
"The story goes that Quanis threatened to smash birthday cake in Vick's face, or that he actually smashed the cake in Vick's face," Squires wrote.
"Another version is that someone smashed cake in Quanis' face -- or threatened to smash it in his face.
"Anyway, the confrontation moved outside -- where I'm told there were several still cameras and video cameras.
"Cooler heads did NOT prevail, and 'Q' was shot in the shopping center parking lot.
"It is unclear whether Vick was still around at the time of the shooting, but he was definitely not there when police arrived."
Another Daily Press report, posted later Friday, quoted Atlanta Falcons wideout Roddy White as saying he and Vick left the area long before the shooting.
"We were already gone by the time that stuff started happening, so I don't know what's going to go on with that or whatever, but we didn't have anything to do with it," White said on Friday during a break in the youth football camp being held Hampton University.
Bernstein said Vick is "of no interest to us" as police investigate.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is looking into the incident "to determine the facts." When Goodell allowed Vick to return to the NFL last July, one part of the letter announcing the decision said: "Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited."
Vick's agent, Joel Segal, did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily News. Vick's attorney Larry Woodward told the Associated Press that Vick was neither involved in nor present for the shooting.
The Eagles issued the following statement:
"We are aware of the incident that occurred in Virginia early this morning and are in the process of gathering all of the facts. Until then, we will not have any comment on this matter."
I know this is a free country, but if you are Mike Vick, what the hell are you doing in any establishment that late at night??? He needs to be a boy scout if he wants to continue in the NFL. I don't like this one bit, where there's smoke, there's fire. This could be the final nail in Vick's coffin.— johnnyvegas- Vick will be in the dog house when Goodell gets done with him.— Dustin Bufflin
- jONNY- WHY DON'T YOU BE A HERMIT AND NEVER GO OUT EITHER. A GROWN MAN WHO HAS COMPLETED FED TIME ISN'T ALLOWED TO CELBRATE A BIRTHDAY..TOO BAD YOU ARE TRANSPARENT...I KNOW WHERE THE SMOKE IS...TRY FARTING!— RoastedBird
- Vick only likes to hurt defenseless animals.— beaglemommy
I agree with Johnny. If Vick's still hanging out with hoodies at 2AM, it shows incredible shortsightedness and asks the question of whether or not he actually "get's it"? Discretion is the better part of valor as the old saying goes. Stay home at night Mike, if you wanna continue playing football.— RAS
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the man has the right to celebrate his 30th bday. stop trying to live other peoples lives and worry about your own. if vick wasnt involved in the shooting, then it doesnt matter what he was doing because its HIS life!!. period.- WOW! Just the fact that he was at this place at 2:00 AM is unbelievable. Cut him now and sign Garcia to back up Kolb.— PortCity
- At least he didn't shoot himself. Things could always be worst.— BIGGZ043
- Wow, Phil and Roasted a little defensive when it comes to Vick. I don't think the guy was saying he can't go out just that he shouldn't for his own good. Even if he was being good and that happened while he was there he would be jeopardizing his career. Why do that for anything? Just play football for 5-7 years and retire then go have your good time when simply being present isn't such a big deal.— Eagle GREEN Mt State
- Michael Vick always has been, continues to be, and always will be a thug. I never wanted him on the Eagles, and now this is his ticket out of town. Since the Birds signed him, I truly hoped that he would pull his life together. He obviously HAS NOT. For all of you that are saying "it's his life" or he "can celebrate," I will say that you are correct. HOWEVER, Michael Vick screwed up BIG TIME with the dogfighting. Part of his deal to get back in the NFL was that he could not associate with ANYONE involved in the dogfighting. The fact that Michael Vick is hanging out with this Quanis Phillips is proof enough for me that he is still up to his old tricks. CUT HIM NOW. Get him the hell out of town. He's an idiot!— PSU DEJA BLUE
- Learn something new: I wondered how anyone (NFL, Feds, etc.) could control with whom one associates? Answer: "The probationer may be ordered as well to refrain from contact with the victims (such as a former partner in a domestic violence case), with potential victims of similar crimes (such as minors, if the instant offense involves child sexual abuse), or with known criminals, particularly co-defendants." Wikipedia, conqueror of ignorance.— FreshPrince
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- bye bye mr conVick..he's finished in the NFL..this gives the birds an out of his over paid contract..book it..wolf.— wolf 4
- Shocking news. Animal lover and Rhodes scholar Mike Vick involved in a shooting? Consorting with criminals? Can't be, must be mistaken identity. Don't worry, if he offended anyone he will surely provide a scripted heartfelt apology.— Klambake
