A group of masked robbers surrounded New York Knicks' Cleanthony Early's cab using their vehicles as he went out of a strip club on Wednesday, Dec. 30. They reportedly demanded for his "gold" and then shot him in the leg.
Early left the CityScapes in Queens together with his girlfriend around 4:30am on Wednesday in an Uber cab, when his cab was blocked and boxed by at least two cars. According to ESPN, two officials said that as many as six men got out from the cars and took Early's two gold chains and shot him in the right kneecap.
The law enforcement officials told WABC-TV in New York that the robbers even asked for Early's teeth's gold caps. The robbers drove off after the shooting, leaving Earl's girlfriend and the Uber driver unharmed, though the men took the driver's identification.
Early, 24, was brought to the hospital early Wednesday and in stable condition. A spokesperson from Elmhurst Hospital said that Early was released and transferred to another facility later that day.
A report from NY Daily News said that Early's teammates visited him in the hospital the day after he was shot and confirmed that there was no major damage done to his knee.
"I got shot but ironically I dodge a bullet," Early wrote in an Instagram post. "It could of been way worse and I'm thankful and grateful it wasn't. This is a lesson learn for me and to you all as well, be safe out there, theirs people out here that want to hurt you just to hurt you."
The New York Knicks focused back on basketball after visiting their wounded teammate.
"Most of the guys went to go see him," Carmelo Anthony said after the team's practice Thursday. "He's good - relatively speaking, but he's great. He's in good spirits. It was good to see everybody come through. That definitely put a smile on his face. He'll be back soon."
