…because we’ve had our first Jamaal Tinsely off-court incident.

Someone in a group of people fired on cars carrying Tinsely and his friends outside the Conrad hotel in Downtown Indianapolis early Sunday. Pacers equipment manager Joey Qatato was shot in both elbows.

Two of Tinsley’s three vehicles were pocked with bullet holes and his brother, James Tinsley, apparently returned fire with a gun he carried legally.

Now for the benefit of the non-locals in the audience, here’s what you have to understand. The Conrad Hotel is no dive where things like assault rifle shootings take place. It’s Indy’s first four-star hotel. It’s in the heart of downtown in the Wholesale District, where many of the city’s nicest restaurants and so forth are located. Thank God this was at 3:40 in the morning, because it’s an area normally heavy with pedestrian and auto traffic on a Saturday night. Most disturbingly from my perspective, it’s about 8 blocks from where I live.

This incident actually gets stupider, if that’s possible.

Members of Tinsley’s group said people in another group harassed them about Tinsley’s expensive cars — a Mercedes, Rolls-Royce and Dodge Charger — and the amount of money he made.

Tinsley’s group left the club and headed for Tinsley’s Downtown condominium, but soon realized they were being followed by a gray Chrysler and a dark pickup truck, Thompson said. They pulled into the Conrad Hotel because they thought it would safer, he said.

The shooting began about 3:40 a.m., after both groups reached the hotel, Thompson said. After Qatato was shot, he went inside, where Conrad employees called emergency medical services and police.

Qatato had been sitting with Tinsley in the player’s Rolls-Royce. A Methodist Hospital spokesperson said Qatato was released Sunday afternoon after being treated. Tinsley, in the front passenger seat, was not injured.

Two of the three vehicles in Tinsley’s group followed the shooters to Monument Circle, and James Tinsley returned fire. It was not known whether anyone was hit. James Tinsley had a gun permit, Thompson said.

That last part’s my favorite. See, I’ve never been shot at, but if I ever am, I certainly doubt my reaction will be to get into a car chase with the shooters.

A memorial to honor those who fought for the United States from the American Revolution through the Civil War, or a good place for a shootout? CWAMB reports, you decide. (Image by Flickr user cbteam234, used under Creative Commons license)

Some days there’s nothing you can do but laugh, so I submit to you this dialog on the incident by CWAMB writers and regulars:

CJ: A Pacer involved in a shooting incident? I refuse to believe it. And seriously, the Conrad? What that fuck? Am I going to have to start packing heat now?

Matt: sheesh, and the only person arrested so far was a wanted drug dealer Tinsley was hanging with. See Mike? This is why Indy doesn’t love the Pacers anymore. Their image isn’t just tarnished, it’s trashed.

CJ, unless you plan to go start shit on 38th street, I think you’ll be fine :p

It’s a little wild something like that happened in essentially the heart of downtown, though.

CJ: My friend Lars says “OK, when ‘it’s not unusual to see a .223 assault rifle used in street violence’, it might be time to move back to Carmel”

Matt: I think the real lesson learned here is “When you see Jamal Tinsley, duck and cover!”

Andrew: I’m surprised Jamaal didn’t fire off 3 or 4 wild shots that hit nothing but air.

Matt: to be fair he was going to, but he held the gun too long and the shot clock went off.

CJ: Also, the force the air displacement from the bullets injured his back, he’ll be out 4-6 weeks.

Matt: strangely, even though Jermaine O’Neal was not involved in the incident, his knee got injured as well.

Jason: The headline of a Star article the day of the shooting. “Shooting accuracy point of concern”

Hey Jason, isn’t it about time we add a “Police Blotter” category? Sheesh.