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Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz is in stable condition and has asked to see his family, according to Dr. Jose Abel Gonzalez, who assisted on his surgery.
Gonzalez said Ortiz suffered lesions to the liver, large intestine and small intestine from the gunshot.
“He finds himself in a good state of mind and is waiting to travel to Boston this afternoon to see his personal doctors and his wife,” Gonzalez added.
In terms of recovery, Gonzalez said, “We hope it will be the shortest possible.” He said he expects Ortiz to return to life “same as before” following recovery.
Ortiz’s father Leo Ortiz also spoke at the news conference and thanked the medical team.
“On behalf of the Ortiz family, David Ortiz’s work team, I want to thank the press but especially this medical team,” he said.
The Boston Red Sox have arranged a medical air ambulance to transport their former star player David Ortiz to Boston from Santo Domingo later today, according to Sam Kennedy, the team’s president and CEO.
Ortiz was shot at a club in his native Dominican Republic on Sunday,
There is no specific time for the arrival of the air ambulance, but the team expects it to be later today or tonight, the Red Sox president said.
Ortiz, whose condition is still serious, but stable enough to be transported, will be admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital upon arrival, Kennedy said.
Players and coaches for the Boston Bruins are sending well wishes to former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz as he recovers from last night’s shooting.
“I wish him well and a speedy recovery. Hopefully he’s back to health in a hurry,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy.
Bruins center Karson Kuhlman praised Ortiz as a “huge role model” for athletes everywhere — especially those in Boston.
“I saw that obviously, last night after the game, that’s terrible. I mean, he’s been a huge role model for a lot of people, especially out in Boston, but just in the sporting community as well, so it’s a tough thing to see,” he said.
And Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask tweeted this:
The Bruins are currently playing in the Stanley Cup finals.
When you say Big Papi, everyone knows exactly who you’re talking about. Even fellow New England sports great Tom Brady doesn’t have that kind of singular recognition.
There are a few theories as to how he got such an enduring moniker, but Ortiz himself told Stephen Colbert that it was because, well, he’s not very good at remembering names.
“I meet so many people every day, it’s hard for me to keep up with their names,” he told “The Late Show” host in 2017. “So, I just ‘Papi’ people.”
In other words, Ortiz just calls everyone “Papi,” in keeping with a Dominican custom, he said.
People just started calling him “Papi” back, Ortiz said, and it stuck.
Former Red Sox star David Ortiz does not know the suspect who is in police custody and does not know why the suspect shot him, Ortiz’s assistant Leo Lopez told CNN.
Lopez said he is confident “it was not a robbery.” Lopez wouldn’t speculate on a motive.
What we know about the suspect: Police identified Eddy Vladimir Féliz García as one of the suspect’s involved in Ortiz’s shooting on Sunday. Féliz García has a 2017 drug charge and lives in Las Caobas, West Santo Domingo, according to a National Police news statement.
David Ortiz was “bleeding from his liver” and had portions of his organs removed after the shooting, according to Ortiz’s assistant Leo Lopez.
During surgery last night, doctors told his family and assistant that they removed “portions of his intestines, colon and his gallbladder [was] taken out” to stop the bleeding, Lopez told CNN.
Lopez is at the Dominican Republic hospital with Ortiz’s father and sisters, while the former ballplayer remains in intensive care, he said.
The family is waiting to speak to medical staff and hopes to move Ortiz to a hospital in the US as soon as doctors allow. Lopez said Ortiz’s wife is in the US at this time.
Former US president Barack Obama just tweeted on how former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz’s “spirit and resolve helped us all begin to heal from the Boston Marathon bombing.”
Read Obama’s tweet:
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady just wished David Ortiz a speedy recovery on Twitter, tweeting “get well soon my friend.”
Police have one person in custody for the shooting of MLB star David Ortiz, according to a Dominican Republic National Police press release.
The release, which is in Spanish, identified the suspect as Eddy Vladimir Féliz García. He was detained by a crowd, who beat him up and handed him over to the authorities, and was then transported to Doctor Dario Contreras hospital for his injuries. He is now in police custody.
What happened: Two men on a motorcycle approached Ortiz and fired a single shot around 10:30 p.m., the release said. Ortiz and a friend, host Jhoel Lopez, were injured. The suspects attempted to drive away but “fell to the pavement,” the release said. The second suspect fled on foot and is still at large.
Police have the suspect’s “Bajaj Platina” motorcycle and are investigating this and other evidence.
Jhoel Lopez, a talk show host and a friend of David Ortiz, posted pictures and videos with Ortiz on social media hours before the shooting, Lopez’s wife confirmed to CNN.
Lopez was also shot last night.
He captioned the picture “Tu sabes que somos de calle 🎤🎥 🎶 Con el mío @davidortiz yaaaaaa,” which translates to “You know that we are from the streets…. with my David Ortiz, yaaa.”
Here’s a look:
David Ortiz’s former Red Sox teammate Pedro Martinez tweeted Sunday “I’m at peace knowing you out of danger” and “see you soon.”
David Ortiz’s agent, Fernando Cuza, confirmed the surveillance footage captured the moment Ortiz was shot last night.
“I’ve seen it, it’s him,” he said.
Ortiz is “the one who falls, he’s slumped over and then falls” once he is shot in the back, Cuza said.
You can watch the footage in the video below:
Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz, also known as “Big Papi,” was shot in his native Dominican Republic last night.
Here’s what we know so far about the attack:
David Ortiz, known as “Big Papi,” was a first baseman and designated hitter who made his Major League Baseball debut in 1997 and played 20 seasons before retiring in 2016. While Ortiz’s Major League career began with the Minnesota Twins, he was best known for his 14 seasons in Boston with the Red Sox.
Here are a few of reasons why “Big Papi” has such a legacy in Boston:
Ortiz is also known for emerging as a champion for Boston after the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and wounded more than 200 others. The 2013 World Series win came just months after the tragedy, and Ortiz’s emotional tribute the day after police captured bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev gained national attention.
“This jersey, that we wear today, it doesn’t say ‘Red Sox. ‘It says ‘Boston,’” Ortiz said, standing on the infield as the crowd cheered police officers who were on the field.
“This is our f***ing city. And nobody’s going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong,” he said.
In his 20 seasons in the majors, Ortiz hit 541 home runs and had a career batting average of .286. He will be eligible to be on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot at the end of 2021.
Following the shooting of former Red Sox star David Ortiz, the Boston team said it had offered his family “all available resources to aid in his recovery.”
Ortiz is best known for his 14 seasons in Boston as the Red Sox’s designated hitter.
Here’s the team’s statement:
Major League Baseball also tweeted out this statement last night:
National police have not formally interviewed David Ortiz, according to police spokesperson, Captain Luis Manuel Pimentel.
Police are still going over the evidence and expect to speak to Ortiz soon but did not have a time frame, Pimentel said.
Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz is recovering from surgery after being shot at a club in his native Dominican Republic on Sunday, according to police.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has tweeted a message wishing former Red Sox star David Ortiz a “full and quick recovery.”
Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz, known as “Big Papi,” is in stable condition after being shot in the back by a motorcyclist in the Dominican Republic.
Multiple people have been detained in connection with the shooting, Durán Mejia said. It’s unclear whether those detained include the motorcyclist.
One of the suspects is being treated at a local hospital, the Dominican Health Service (SNS) said in a statement. The suspect, the statement said, was hit and attacked by bystanders immediately after Ortiz was shot.
Ortiz was born in Santo Domingo and made his Major League Baseball debut in 1997, according to MLB’s website.
