Michael Vick's Future with Eagles Still Up in The Air After Birthday Shooting

By Alicia Cruz

The New Jersey Newsroom

Facing a deadline for a decision on whether to keep Michael Vick after the June 25 shooting of Vick's co-defendant at his 30th birthday party bash in Virginia Beach, team officials are standing firm by their statement that they are "in the process of gathering all the facts," about the shooting incident before making any concrete decision on Vick's future with the team.

Details of the shooting remain sketchy, but the $3.75 million question is: Was Vick present at the time of the shooting or had the 30-year-old Atlanta native been long gone before the 2:00 a.m. shooting occurred?

Virginia’s WTKR, who broke the story, reported that the shooting occurred outside Guadalajara at Town Center, a nightclub located at 4611 Columbus Street in Virginia Beach around 2 a.m. on June 25.

According to an article in the Hampton Roads Daily Press, sources said Quanis Phillips, one of Vick's co-defendants in his 2007 federal dog-fighting trial, was shot in the leg outside of the nightclub by an unknown assailant, only described to police as being an African-American man in a white Cadillac Escalade. Phillips served 21 months in prison for his connection in the Vick dog-fighting ring.

The Virginia Pilot reported that Dale Gauding, Senatra Virginia Beach General Hospital spokesman, confirmed Phillips was admitted there and discharged around 3 p.m., but would not elaborate on Phillips’ injuries.

Immediately following the shooting, Philly.com reported that a restaurant spokesman told the Virginia Pilot that Vick and his brother, Marcus, who advertised the party on his twitter page, were in attendance at the "All White Birthday Bash," leaving around 1:55 a.m. and the shooting took place approximately 20 to 25 minutes later. However, one of the nightclub's owners later released the club's surveillance video that showed Vick and members of his entourage leaving just three minutes before shots were heard.

A car believed to be carrying Vick left at 2:07 a.m. A crowd is seen lingering in front of the club after the car vacates the premises, and then patrons appear to duck for cover at 2:10. Virginia Beach police said they received the first 911 call at 2:11.

Police spokesman Adam Bernstein, who said police now have the video, would not discuss if investigators were looking into the supposed discrepancy in the Vick timeline nor did he confirm if the quarterback voluntarily met with police to discuss the shooting.

The afternoon after the shooting, David Squire of the Daily Press allegedly claimed that Vick and Phillips were involved in an argument the night of the birthday party after Phillips threatened to – or actually did – smash cake in Vick’s face. Another version has cake being smashed in the victim’s face.

The Daily Press reported that Vick would not comment directly about the incident at Guadalajara, but added that when they caught up to him as he left a youth football camp at Hampton University, Vick said, "Watch what you do. Pick and choose your friends carefully. You just can't put yourself in vulnerable situations.”

Vick's attorney, Larry Woodward, said his client was neither involved nor present at the time of the shooting, saying Vick was "Long gone before the shooting," and estimated to the Associated Press that his client had left the scene approximately 10 minutes before the shooting occurred. Woodward added that Phillips, who is on probation, was thrown out of the Birthday party, but made no further comment.

USAPlayers.com reported that Phillips wasn't even invited to Vick's party and that may have been what the alleged argument was over.

The only major discrepancy seems to be what Vick's lawyer told reporters about when the Eagles' quarterback left the birthday bash and when Phillips was actually shot.

The dilemma facing the Eagles: What happens if Vick is unable to return to the team because of his presence at the shooting?

According to Philly.com, when an Eagles team spokesman released the June 25 statement saying they were "in the process of gathering all the facts," about the incident, they were, according to a team source, under the impression Vick had left the party before the shooting occurred. With surveillance tapes claiming to show Vicks on the scene when the shots are fired, smashed cake and an alleged argument, it’s obvious the Eagles have a lot of scuttlebutt to dicipher before making a decision.

Vick was expected to be traded in the off-season, but the Eagles picked up his $1.5 roster bonus in March, and are expected to pay the remaining $3.75 million of his salary this season. Vick remains on federal probation after serving prison time for the dog fighting incident.

SEE:

Guest List At Michael Vick’s Party Draws Criticism

Jockpost.com commentary on Vick Birthday party shooting