Colts' Harrison questioned in Phila. shooting

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison has been questioned about a shooting Tuesday in North Philadelphia, but police were quick to say yesterday that the Philadelphia native was not a suspect.

Harrison, 35, of Elkins Park, was among several people interviewed by Central Detectives after an adult male was shot in the hand and a child was injured in the eye by shattered glass, said Lt. Frank Vanore of the Public Affairs Unit.

Vanore said Harrison was cooperating in what he described as an active investigation.

The injuries were the result of gunfire that erupted about 5 p.m. Tuesday on the street near 25th and Thompson Streets, Vanore said.

Nearby is a white-block garage owned by Harrison with a sign that reads "Chuckie's Garage" on the outside. A small handprinted sign advertises "hand car wash."

The child had been sitting in a car near a water-ice stand when the shooting occurred, said neighborhood residents who declined to be identified.

Neighbors said they thought the shooting was related to a robbery at the garage, on a narrow street in a mostly residential area of Brewerytown. Residents described the neighborhood as usually quiet.

Police said the shooting may have been connected with an incident Sunday night at Playmakers, a bar three blocks away at 28th and Cambridge Streets, that also is owned by Harrison.

City records show that Harrison bought both the bar property in 2004 and the garage property in 2006.

"There was an incident that took place," said Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey following a news conference yesterday afternoon. "We interviewed a lot of people to find out who has information around this particular case."

Ramsey would not elaborate on the incident, nor would he say whether the gun involved belonged to Harrison. It is also unclear if the weapon has been recovered by police or if Harrison is believed to have fired it.

"We're still trying to match everything up, and I'm not privy to give out a whole lot of information at this point. It's an open investigation," Ramsey said.

The wide receiver apparently also owns another bar next door to Playmakers called the 28th Street Lounge.

Both businesses were closed yesterday.

"The injuries were not life-threatening," Vanore said, adding that the child was treated at a nearby hospital.

Vanore said that at this time, police "have no suspects and there are no charges in this shooting investigation. We are interviewing all the witnesses and everybody who we believe may have been in the area, or possibly in the area."

He said he did not know what led to the shooting: "It's part of the investigation, and I don't have any details like that."

Harrison, a football star at Roman Catholic High School, has spent his 12-season career with the Colts. He holds a number of franchise records, including 1,042 receptions and 13,944 yards. He is one of only four players in NFL history to top 1,000 receptions.

Of the report involving the shooting, NFL spokesman Gary Aiello said: "We are aware of the report, and we are looking into it."

After eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, last season was the most frustrating of Harrison's career.

He injured his left knee against Denver on Sept. 30, finished with 20 receptions for 247 yards and one touchdown, and missed all but five games.

Team president Bill Polian said in February that Harrison was recovering from off-season arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and had been rehabilitating the inflamed capsule in his left knee.

He was not expected to be completely healthy for the start of the Colts' training camp on July 24.

Harrison has the reputation as quiet and humble on and off the field.

But he is one of the Colts' most visible players and their longest tenured veteran.

Harrison, along with Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James, were nicknamed "Indy's triplets" in the late 1990s.

Harrison was a first-round draft pick in 1996 out of Syracuse University, and wound up the best receiver in a class that included Keyshawn Johnson and Eric Moulds.

Off the field, Harrison was sued following the 2005 Pro Bowl when three boys accused him of attacking them when they tried to get his autograph.

The lawsuit was later dropped.