Red Sox legend David Ortiz recovering from surgery after he was ambushed, shot in Santo Domingo
'Big Papi' David Ortiz was at the Dial Bar and Lounge when a gunman approached from behind and shot him in the back; Phil Keating reports.
Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz underwent a second surgery at a Massachusetts hospital and is stable and resting after he was gunned down in the Dominican Republic.
The Red Sox released a statement on behalf of Ortiz’s wife, Tiffany, who provided an update Tuesday on the three-time World Series champion.
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David Ortiz underwent a second surgery in Boston. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
“David arrived at Massachusetts General Hospital last night and underwent a successful second surgery. He’s is stable, awake and resting comfortably this morning in the ICU where he is expected to remain for the next several days," the statement said. “On behalf of me and my family, I want to thank John and Linda Henry, Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy and the Boston Red Sox for all that they are doing for David and our family, as well as Dr. Larry Ronan and the amazing staff at Massachusetts General Hospital.”
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Tiffany Ortiz also thanked everyone for the support that her husband had received and asked for privacy as he worked toward recovery.
According to ESPN, Ortiz will be monitored closely for the next two days and visits would be limited. Ortiz’s spokesperson, Leo Lopez, told ESPN that his client has been alert and “even flashed that smile.”
Ortiz arrived in Boston on Monday night from the Dominican Republic in serious condition.
David Ortiz was wounded in a shooting over the weekend. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
He appeared to be targeted in a shooting Sunday night in Santo Domingo and doctors were forced to remove his gallbladder and part of his intestine. Police said he was shot in the torso at close range.
Dominican Republic National Police said that two men entered the bar after arriving on a motorcycle. One of the men shot a single bullet into Ortiz as the patrons ran for cover. After one man fled on foot, officials arrested a second man, Eddy Vladimir Feliz Garcia, who was then transported to the hospital after being attacked by a crowd at the bar. Garcia was previously arrested on drug charges in 2017.
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Police did not confirm the suspects' motive, but a rep for Ortiz, Leo Lopez, said, “There is not a single doubt that this was an act of hired killers.”
Two other people were injured in the shooting, including Dominican TV host Jhoel Lopez, who was with Ortiz. Officials believe Lopez was injured by the same bullet that entered Ortiz, National Police Director Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte said, according to the Boston Herald.
Ortiz brought the Red Sox to three World Series championships, was a 10-time All-Star and hit 541 home runs during his career.
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He was hailed as a hero in Boston for rallying the city after the Boston Marathon bombing. He retired after his 2016 season and lives part of the year in the Dominican Republican, where he is known to frequent the nightlife scene.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.