EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Antonio Pierce and the doctor who treated his New York Giants teammate Plaxico Burress after he accidentally shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub will talk to investigators Friday.
Pierce and Dr. Josyann Abisaab will be accompanied by their lawyers when they meet with the authorities, NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Paul Browne said. It is unclear when and where the parties will 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.
Pierce's attorney said Pierce was caught off guard early Saturday when Burress somehow fumbled his gun -- .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," attorney Michael Bachner said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
And Bachner stressed the linebacker would cooperate with authorities and testify before a Manhattan grand jury about the incident if asked to testify, which has yet to happen.
"Antonio has always taken a position that he will be cooperative in the investigation with law enforcement," Bachner said. "Should Antonio be subpoenaed to the grand jury, and we have no idea that is going to happen, but if he is, he is going to abide by his obligations as a citizen."
Bachner did not immediately return a telephone message Thursday evening, seeking comment on Pierce's meeting with investigators.
Pierce was in no mood to discuss the shooting incident after practice at Giants Stadium.
Clad in a sweat-soaked gray pullover, the linebacker walked up to the wooden lectern, clenched the sides with gloved hands and spoke mostly about the Giants' game on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. He insisted he won't be distracted with the Giants (11-1) on the verge of clinching the NFC East title and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
"This is a big weekend for us," he said. "This a weekend that we can obviously clinch the NFC East, becoming champions of something, one of our main and most focused goals is to win our division and we have that opportunity this week."
Being under the microscope isn't a problem, either, he added.
WTF??? 