Police investigating hospital in Burress shooting

NEW YORK — Plaxico Burress was led out of a police precinct in handcuffs Monday after surrendering on a weapons possession charge, and authorities said that teammate Antonio Pierce is being investigated over his role in an accidental shooting at a Manhattan nightclub.

Burress was silent but held his head high as he was led out of the police station, where a crowd that included Giants fans hovered nearby with cell phone cameras. Burress planned to plead not guilty to the charge during a Monday court appearance, said defense lawyer Benjamin Brafman.

The star wide receiver who helped the New York Giants win the Super Bowl accidentally shot himself at a nightclub Friday evening and was treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He was released Saturday.

The episode set off a frenzy that showed no signs of letting up Monday: Police said the case could expand beyond Burress, with authorities investigating Pierce and the hospital for failing to report the shooting. The NFL is closely monitoring the developments as well.

A more detailed timeline of the evening also emerged. Police said Pierce, Burress and running back Derrick Ward arrived at the Latin Quarter nightclub with two other people around 11:30 p.m. Friday.

Burress had been allowed to bypass security, even though they knew he was armed, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The club is said to be fully cooperating in the investigation.

Around 12:05 a.m., as Burress was being escorted to a VIP area with a drink in one hand, he somehow ended up fumbling his gun and it discharged, hitting his thigh. Pierce was with him when that occurred, police said.

It's believed Pierce took Burress to the car and then left with him, according to police. The .40-caliber Glock was found in the glove compartment of Pierce's Cadillac Escalade, but it's unclear who put the weapon there.

Police are trying to figure out what happened in the two hours that followed. Burress showed up at the hospital around 2:20 a.m, and was discharged at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Police said they had to track Burress down by canvassing local hospitals, and he had been discharged from New York-Presbyterian by the time detectives got there Saturday. An administrator then refused to give detectives information, citing privacy rules, police said.

The gun was eventually recovered at Burress' house in New Jersey, authorities said.