MIAMI — Eagles defensive end Jerome McDougle remained hospitalized in good condition yesterday, recovering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
McDougle, 26, was the victim of armed robbery in Southwest Miami on Thursday night, when three teenagers approached him in his silver Mercedes-Benz coupe, stole his watch and fired three shots.
He underwent surgery and is recuperating in Jackson Memorial Hospital, near where he attended the University of Miami and won a national title.
Neither McDougle, the Eagles' first-round draft pick in 2003, nor his family released a statement or granted interviews yesterday.
He is expected to be released from the hospital within the week and resume athletic activity after at least four weeks. The Eagles expect him to return to playing this season.
"We won't know anything for about four weeks," coach Andy Reid said yesterday at the team's training camp in Lehigh. "I'm sure it will be longer than that, but we will see how that goes as the time comes."
A second arrest was made yesterday, according to the Miami-Dade robbery unit. No other details about the investigation were released.
According to a report in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel newspaper, police initially thought McDougle, who owns a concealed-weapons permit, had returned gunfire that night.
The paper reported that ballistic tests showed that two more rounds found in the door of McDougle's car had been fired by the robbers. It is unclear whether McDougle had a weapon with him.
Contact staff writer Shannon Ryan at 215-854-5503 or sryan@phillynews.com.
