The gunman allegedly responsible for shooting former Boston Red Sox baseball player, David Ortiz, and five other suspects involved in the attack have been taken into custody by authorities in the Dominican Republic, the Associated Press reports.
The man reportedly responsible for the shooting, identified as 25-year-old Rolfy Ferreira, admitted to authorities his role in the occurrence. The country’s national police director, Maj. Gen. Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte revealed that the attack’s organizer was paid $400,000 Dominican pesos ($7,800 USD).
Those present at the scene in a popular Santo Domingo bar on Sunday night (June 9), claim they witnessed two men carry out the shooting on two motorcycles, while another two suspects in cars were there to facilitate the gunmen’s escape from the scene.
“At this moment, they are being interrogated and we will continue deepening the investigation to get to the truth about what happened,” Chief Prosecutor Jean Alain Rodriguez said. “Nobody involved in this unfortunate episode will escape justice, neither those who carried it out nor the mastermind.”
Officials state that the weapon used for the attack was a Browning Hi-Power semi-automatic pistol, which was then handed to suspects Oliver Moises Mirabal Acosta and Porfirio Allende Dechamps Vasquez. “In one of the videos it was possible to observe both the accused and the shooter planning the commission of the incident,” prosecutors said.
As details of the case continue to emerge, Ortiz is steadily recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital. His wife, Tiffany Ortiz, says he’s able to sit up and walk around. “His condition is guarded, and he will remain in the ICU for the coming days, but he is making good progress toward recovery,” she said in a statement.
The reason for the shooting still remains unknown.
