Cruz at club where man is shot to death

Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz was at a Manhattan club early Tuesday morning when gunshots were fired, killing one man and injuring two other people. TMZ.com first reported that Cruz was at the Juliet Supper Club celebrating his 25th birthday, and the Giants confirmed that Cruz was there but unharmed and not involved in the incident.

It is unclear if Cruz witnessed or was near the shooting, which took place around 2:30 a.m. Juliet Supper Club, located on West 21st Street, is said to be frequented by many of New York's professional athletes. Reports cited police sources who said other NFL and NBA players were at the club at the time of the shooting, but it is not known if any of Cruz's teammates were present.

According to police reports, a 43-year-old man was shot once in the chest and once in the back and later died. Another man and a woman also were hit by bullets. No arrests have been made.

The incident brought back memories of another Giants receiver involved in a shooting in a Manhattan club. In November 2008 Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed gun while at the Latin Quarter with teammates Antonio Pierce and Ahmad Bradshaw. That led to him being released by the Giants and serving nearly two years in jail before signing to play with the Jets this summer.

Cruz, who was an undrafted player and a virtual unknown until he caught three touchdown passes in a nationally televised preseason game against the Jets last year, has become a fan favorite and crowds serenade him with chants of "Cruuuz!" whenever he catches a ball at home or on the road. He has caught four touchdown passes this year, punctuating each with a salsa dance. He is a local product from Paterson, N.J.