Indiana Pacers small forward Chris Copeland underwent surgery Wednesday on his elbow and abdomen, where he had been stabbed after an argument early in the morning at a Chelsea club in New York City.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel confirmed the surgery Wednesday evening before the Pacers' game began. The team was in New York to play the Knicks at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Copeland, who has played for the Pacers since 2013, was in stable condition at a New York hospital, according to a release from the Pacers. Vogel said he would be kept overnight and probably for several days.
"You hear something like that, it hurts," Vogel said. "Your thoughts and feelings and emotions are making sure that a family member is OK, but you've got to get focused.
"I know they're going to have Cope on their minds and great concern for him, but it's a headstrong, mentally tough group, so I think our focus will be good."
A 28-year-old woman, Katrine Saltara, was also stabbed in the arm and chest, police said. Saltara, who lives in New York, and Copeland had been engaged.
The violence broke out just before 4 a.m. Wednesday outside 1Oak Club, a trendy Chelsea spot where celebrities like Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg mingle with Manhattan partygoers, police said. The couple was arguing on the street as the attacker eavesdropped and started to interfere, police said. The dispute escalated until the 22-year-old suspect pulled out a switchblade and started slashing, police said. Copeland's driver alerted nearby police, who arrested the suspect and recovered the weapon at the scene.
The suspect, Shezoy Bleary, was charged with three counts of felony assault and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
A second woman, who was believed to be with the attacker, was slashed in the abdomen. The victims were hospitalized and in stable condition, police said. A knife was recovered at the scene.
Vogel learned of the incident from a call from Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard this morning. According to police, Copeland only received a slash wound to his stomach. Copeland fractured his elbow during the incident, a source told The Indianapolis Star.
When asked if the team has a curfew, forward Solomon Hill said, "We're grown men. So I think you don't want to try to tell people what to do on their free time. But things happen. Everybody said a prayer for him and we look forward to him coming back."
The Pacers released the following statement from President Larry Bird:
"We are aware that Chris Copeland was injured early this morning in New York City. We are still gathering information and will update when we know more. Our thoughts are with Chris and those injured."
Copeland's agent, John Spencer, TRAVELED TO NEW YORK City Wednesday morning after hearing about the attack. At that time, Spencer provided this statement to The Star:
"We're concerned about the safety of Chris and Katrine. We don't have any details at this particular time. All we can do is pray and wait."
Atlanta Hawks players Pero Antic and Thabo Sefolosha were detained for trying to prevent police from setting up the CRIME scene. The Hawks play the Brooklyn Nets tonight in New York. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Hawks are looking into the incident.
Antic and Sefolosha were released without bail after a brief court appearance where they were charged with obstructing governmental authority and disorderly conduct. Their attorney, Alex Spiro, said they did not commit any CRIME.
"They should not have been arrested. We fully expect the case to be dismissed," he said.
The Hawks said neither Antic nor Sefolosha would play against the Nets. The players issued a joint statement through the team, apologizing for any embarrassment they caused.
"As members of the Atlanta Hawks, we hold ourselves to a high standard and take our roles as professionals very seriously," the statement said. "We will contest these charges and look forward to communicating the facts of the situation at the appropriate time."
Copeland previously played for the New York Knicks, and the University of Colorado.
While playing for Colorado, he was shot in the back in 2003 after three men fired into a crowded birthday party in Boulder. Copeland had a bullet lodged beneath his right shoulder blade but refused to have it removed.
The Pacers are one game behind Boston for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel confirmed the surgery Wednesday evening before the Pacers' game began. The team was in New York to play the Knicks at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
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| Shezoy Bleary, a suspect in the stabbing of Indiana Pacers forward Chris Copeland, his girlfriend and another woman early Wednesday, is led from the NYPD's 10th Precinct in New York Wednesda |
"You hear something like that, it hurts," Vogel said. "Your thoughts and feelings and emotions are making sure that a family member is OK, but you've got to get focused.
"I know they're going to have Cope on their minds and great concern for him, but it's a headstrong, mentally tough group, so I think our focus will be good."
A 28-year-old woman, Katrine Saltara, was also stabbed in the arm and chest, police said. Saltara, who lives in New York, and Copeland had been engaged.
The violence broke out just before 4 a.m. Wednesday outside 1Oak Club, a trendy Chelsea spot where celebrities like Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg mingle with Manhattan partygoers, police said. The couple was arguing on the street as the attacker eavesdropped and started to interfere, police said. The dispute escalated until the 22-year-old suspect pulled out a switchblade and started slashing, police said. Copeland's driver alerted nearby police, who arrested the suspect and recovered the weapon at the scene.
The suspect, Shezoy Bleary, was charged with three counts of felony assault and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
A second woman, who was believed to be with the attacker, was slashed in the abdomen. The victims were hospitalized and in stable condition, police said. A knife was recovered at the scene.
Vogel learned of the incident from a call from Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard this morning. According to police, Copeland only received a slash wound to his stomach. Copeland fractured his elbow during the incident, a source told The Indianapolis Star.
When asked if the team has a curfew, forward Solomon Hill said, "We're grown men. So I think you don't want to try to tell people what to do on their free time. But things happen. Everybody said a prayer for him and we look forward to him coming back."
The Pacers released the following statement from President Larry Bird:
"We are aware that Chris Copeland was injured early this morning in New York City. We are still gathering information and will update when we know more. Our thoughts are with Chris and those injured."
Copeland's agent, John Spencer, TRAVELED TO NEW YORK City Wednesday morning after hearing about the attack. At that time, Spencer provided this statement to The Star:
"We're concerned about the safety of Chris and Katrine. We don't have any details at this particular time. All we can do is pray and wait."
Atlanta Hawks players Pero Antic and Thabo Sefolosha were detained for trying to prevent police from setting up the CRIME scene. The Hawks play the Brooklyn Nets tonight in New York. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Hawks are looking into the incident.
Antic and Sefolosha were released without bail after a brief court appearance where they were charged with obstructing governmental authority and disorderly conduct. Their attorney, Alex Spiro, said they did not commit any CRIME.
"They should not have been arrested. We fully expect the case to be dismissed," he said.
The Hawks said neither Antic nor Sefolosha would play against the Nets. The players issued a joint statement through the team, apologizing for any embarrassment they caused.
"As members of the Atlanta Hawks, we hold ourselves to a high standard and take our roles as professionals very seriously," the statement said. "We will contest these charges and look forward to communicating the facts of the situation at the appropriate time."
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| NBA Player Stabbed Basketball |
While playing for Colorado, he was shot in the back in 2003 after three men fired into a crowded birthday party in Boulder. Copeland had a bullet lodged beneath his right shoulder blade but refused to have it removed.
The Pacers are one game behind Boston for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
