Michael Vick turned 30 on Saturday, and even at that advanced age he can't seem to escape his past. Most notoriously, it includes his conviction on federal dogfighting charges. It also includes Quanis Phillips, a co-defendant in the 2007 case.
The latest turns in the case involve a shooting early Friday at a birthday party in the Eagles quarterback's honor at a Virginia nightclub.
And according to a report from the Daily Press of Newport News, Va., Phillips either threatened to or did smash a birthday cake into Vick's face.
Vick is under court order not to associate with his co-defendants.
It's unclear what transpired early Friday -- except that at some point Phillips was shot outside the nightclub.
Vick's attorney says Vick wasn't at the club. Vick, who is conducting a football camp at Hampton University, doesn't specifically deny he was at the club. Police say Vick was not present by the time they arrived to investigate the shooting.
There might be visual evidence of the incident, according to a post on the Daily Press website. Apparently, none of those video or digital images have appeared.
There is a picture on Twitter promoting "Michael Vick's All White 30th Birthday Bash" -- referring to the dress code for the event.
Phillips, who was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in the dogfighting operation, was admitted to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital after the shooting and kept overnight, health system spokesman Dale Gauding said. Phillips was discharged early Friday afternoon. Gauding said he was not able to discuss the nature of Phillips' injuries because of privacy laws.
The victim, whom a witness identified as Phillips, was taken from the scene in a private car. That vehicle was stopped by police, and Phillips was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Falcons receiver Roddy White, a former Vick teammate, was among those who attended the party.
"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 told the Daily News on Friday. White was taking part in Vick's football camp.
Former Falcons player DeAngelo Hall, now with the Redskins, was listed as an "invited guest" for the party but, according to a blog on the Journal-Constitution's website, "Friday evening he tweeted that he wasn't there."
But both Vick and Phillips were there.
The bottom line, according to CSNPhilly.com, "is that someone was shot. And that someone happened to be one of Vick's co-defendants in his well-documented dogfighting case."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is looking into the shooting.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Vick last July after suspending him for two years. At the time, Goodell said Vick's margin for error would be "extremely limited."
A statement from the Eagles said the team was still gathering facts about the incident and would not comment further.
Police are still investigating, but the shooting victim and witnesses were being uncooperative. They did, however, describe the shooter as a black man in a white tank top driving a white Cadillac Escalade.
Read more: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2010-06-27/shooting-victim-michael-vicks-party-allegedly-hit-him-cake#ixzz0sSlTsTKh
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