Investigators ask to see Pierce and doctor in case

December 6, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

The doctor who treated Plaxico Burress’ injury from a gunshot failed to report the incident.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Antonio Pierce left Giants Stadium Friday afternoon, apparently to finally talk to investigators about what he did on the night Plaxico Burress shot himself.

Pierce and Josyann Abisaab, the doctor who treated Burress after he accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub, were to be accompanied by their lawyers when they met with the authorities Friday, NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Paul Browne said.

Pierce practiced Friday and left Giants Stadium in a Jeep around 1:30 p.m. It was unclear where the parties would meet.

The authorities are especially interested in why neither Pierce, who drove Burress to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, nor Abisaab called police to report the shooting early Saturday. Abisaab has since been suspended for not reporting the gunshot injury, as required by law.

Police are trying to determine whether Pierce tried to cover up the shooting. They say Pierce returned to New Jersey with Burress’ gun in the glove compartment of his black Cadillac Escalade, and investigators have impounded the SUV to search it for any blood or gun residue.

Michael Bachner, Pierce’s attorney, said Pierce was caught off guard early Saturday when Burress somehow fumbled his gun — a .40-caliber Glock — in the VIP section of a Manhattan nightclub and it discharged, hitting his right thigh.

“He had no idea Plaxico had a weapon,” Bachner said.

The attorney stressed that Pierce would cooperate with authorities and testify before a Manhattan grand jury about the incident if asked to testify, which has yet to happen.

Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said Thursday the team alerted NFL security about the shooting, leaving the league to alert police. The NFL said its security department then did contact police.

But police say the NFL was not forthcoming about the shooting.

Police said the NFL called a detective squad in upper Manhattan between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday — not to report the shooting but to seek information on whether any 911 calls were made and whether Burress had been admitted to a hospital.

The highest-ranking member of the police department called was a lieutenant, called at home around 12:20 p.m. Saturday, police said. By then, police were canvassing area hospitals — acting on media reports, not information from the NFL. Burress, however, already had been discharged.

Pierce’s attorney said the 30-year-old, who is playing in his eighth NFL season, took Burress to the hospital after the shooting.

However, Pierce did not try to cover it up by registering Burress under a false name, Bachner said.

“Other than bringing him to the hospital, he had no involvement in the administration process,” he said.