INDIANAPOLIS — More late night trouble for Jamaal Tinsley could present more problems for the Indiana Pacers.
Tinsley and several companions were targeted in a shooting Sunday morning that wounded one person. Tinsley was not injured, but he did not practice on Sunday, the team said.
It was the third time since last October that Tinsley has been involved in a disturbance stemming from trips to bars or nightclubs.
“I really didn’t know what to think about it,” team president Larry Bird told Pacers.com. “I was just hoping everybody was all right. You feel bad any time your players are in some situations, you feel bad for everything that happened. I just feel bad for the organization. We’ll get through this, but it’s tough right now.”
Joey Qatato, identified as the team’s equipment manager on the Pacers’ Web site, was struck in both elbows as he sat with Tinsley in the player’s Rolls Royce. The 48-year-old Qatato was taken to Methodist Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Police said the shooting involved a .223 caliber assault rifle and followed a confrontation when Tinsley and his companions were leaving the “Cloud 9” club.
“We’re grateful that it happened at that time of day,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Paul Thompson said. “The streets are pretty bare that time of the morning.
“If it happened during rush hour, God knows what would have happened.”
Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said Tinsley made an error in judgment.
“Jamaal put himself in a situation that was very, very dangerous,” he said. “These guys have every right to go to a nightclub. I have a right, everybody here can be out till 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning.
“It was not a good decision and that’s basically it. I’m sure he knows that and I’m sure there will be a lifestyle change for him. But, to the best of our knowledge, he was a victim.”
Tinsley’s group had arrived at the club in three cars owned by the player — a Mercedes, a Rolls Royce and a Dodge Charger. Thompson said a group of people gathered around the Rolls Royce and gave Tinsley a hard time about his cars and his earnings.
After Tinsley and friends left, they realized they were being followed by a gray Chrysler and a dark pickup truck, Thompson said.
Instead of going home, Tinsley’s group pulled into the Conrad Hotel, a downtown luxury hotel, where the shooting began. Tinsley’s Rolls Royce was struck by several bullets, and five bullet holes were found in the Charger, police said.
No one was injured in the Charger.
Two vehicles in Tinsley’s group then followed the shooters in a chase, and Tinsley’s brother, James, returned fire at the attackers, police said. James Tinsley does have a gun permit, police said.
It was unknown whether anyone was hit, and Jamaal Tinsley was not involved in the chase, Thompson said.
Through 20 games, Tinsley is averaging 14.8 points and career-best totals of 8.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.
“It’s very unfortunate, especially considering the type of year he’s having,” forward Jermaine O’Neal said. “He’s our early season MVP. I know this city has been down this road with us before. Let the judicial process play itself out and continue to support us.”
Tinsley is scheduled to meet with Bird and O’Brien on Monday morning.
“This is something we can’t just put right behind us and walk away from,” Bird said. “It’s something we’ll have to discuss. I don’t know how long it’ll take and we’ll continue to talk about it. We have to make a change, there’s no question about it.”
Sunday’s shooting is the latest in a string of violent crimes targeting professional athletes.
Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor died Nov. 27, a day after he was shot in the bedroom of his Miami home in what police have said was a botched burglary.
Over the summer, NBA players Eddy Curry and Antoine Walker were robbed just weeks apart in their Chicago-area homes. In September, two men broke into the home of Houston Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson, tying up the victim and stealing jewelry.
Authorities were called to the hotel about 3:40 a.m. And Tinsley appeared to be the only Pacer player in the group, which included his brother and several friends, Thompson said.
Police still were investigating and looking for the two vehicles. They have made no additional arrests, Thompson said.
Tinsley’s agent, Raymond Brothers, could not be reached for comment.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said: “We are gathering details but before we know more, it’s inappropriate for us to comment.”
Police arrested one person in Tinsley’s group, Antoine Toon, for an outstanding warrant in Georgia for dealing a controlled substance.
The latest incident just adds to the Pacers reputation for finding trouble — or trouble finding them.
The well documented brawl with Detroit Pistons fans was the start. The Pacers dealt with suspensions of Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson after the 2004 brawl, and Indiana eventually traded both players.
In October 2006, Jackson and some teammates got into a fight with others at an Indianapolis strip club while out for the night during training camp.
Jackson, whom the Pacers traded to the Golden State Warriors, pleaded guilty in June to a felony charge for firing a gun into the air and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service. He was suspended by the NBA for the first seven games of next season.
Tinsley was charged with a felony count of intimidation and teammate Marquis Daniels was also charged with two misdemeanors following a fight at an Indianapolis nightclub in February. Tinsley had also been present outside the strip club when Jackson was charged with firing the gun.
Marijuana possession charges were dropped against forward Shawne Williams, when authorities determined they couldn’t prove pot discovered in a sport utility vehicle he was driving was his. However, the Pacers suspended Williams for three games for poor judgment.
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