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Virginia Beach, Va., police said Tuesday that they have identified the person responsible for a shooting outside a local nightclub and cleared Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who had proclaimed his innocence.

"There are no other suspects in this case, including Michael Vick," the police said in a statement.


That exoneration didn't stop Vick from expressing regret over the incident, which occured after his 30th birthday party June 25 at the Guadalajara nightclub.

"There should've never been a party," Vick told WTXF-TV while he visited a Philadelphia courthouse as part of his probation on federal dogfighting charges.

Police said that "at this time" they can't charge the shooter, whom they declined to identify, because the victim and some witnesses aren't being cooperative with the investigation. According to Vick's attorney, Larry Woodward, the victim is Quanis Phillips, a co-defendant in the dogfighting case that landed the quarterback in federal prison for 19 months. However, police haven't confirmed that.

Police spokesman Adam Bernstein told The Associated Press that the decision not to press charges was made by the prosecutor's office, but it could be reversed if the victim decides to cooperate.

Woodward told The AP last Tuesday that Vick left the nightclub at least 10 minutes, and perhaps as many as 20 minutes, before the shooting took place. But Allen Fabijan, spokesman for the nightclub, said the next day that he had video that contradicted Woodward's timeline.

The time-stamped footage from a surveillance camera outside the club's entrance shows a car with Vick inside leaving at 2:07 a.m. -- about 3 minutes before the shooting one block away.

The waiting car with Vick inside pulled away at about 2:07 a.m., heading in the direction of the eventual shooting. Numerous people were visible lingering in front of the club for several minutes until, at 2:10:55, they appear to be startled, with some ducking for cover.

Fabijan said police had asked him not to release the video, but he allowed The AP to view the grainy footage.


Vick's face isn't discernible; a man whom Fabijan said is Vick appears moving toward a parked car at 2:04 a.m. A crowd quickly gathered, and Fabijan said Vick accommodated fans trying to get an autograph, to pose for a photo or to shake hands -- so much so that a club security guard eventually moved in to disperse the crowd.

Vick said he reported the incident to the Eagles and the NFL. The Eagles released a statement Saturday refuting an AP report that they were strongly considering releasing Vick because of the shooting.

The Eagles sparingly used Vick last season, when he completed 6 of 13 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown and ran for 95 yards and two scores. He made three Pro Bowls in six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before serving the federal prison sentence.

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

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