Former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was in stable condition Monday after he was shot in the back while at a bar in his native Dominican Republic, according to authorities.
Ortiz, 43, was at the Dial Bar and Lounge in the eastern part of Santo Domingo on Sunday night when a gunman fired once at close range, hitting Ortiz in the back, said Dominican Republican National Police Lt. Juan de Leon. The bullet exited through Ortiz’s stomach.
Video shows bystanders attacking a person they believed ambushed Ortiz, serving him swift kicks to the head as he sits on the ground. The suspected gunman was captured, while another assailant got away, de Leon said.
De Leon did not have information about what kind of gun was used, and said the motive was still under investigation. A TV presenter who was with Ortiz was also wounded by the same bullet.
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Ortiz was recovering after surgery at the Center for Advanced Medicine in Santo Domingo, according to a statement from the Red Sox.
“We have offered David’s family all available resources to aid in his recovery and will continue to keep them in our hearts,” the statement said.
Ortiz’s father, Leo, told reporters outside the clinic that his son was out of danger and there was no damage to his major organs. He said he had no idea why someone would have shot at his son.
“He is out of surgery and stable. He is resting,” Leo Ortiz said. “’Big Papi’ will be around for a long time.”
Ortiz hit 541 homers in 20 major league seasons, including 14 with the Red Sox. He helped lead Boston to three World Series titles in 2004, 2007 and 2013. He retired in 2016 as a 10-time All-Star and two-time World Series MVP.
Associated Press and Michelle Acevedo contributed.
