After a weeks-long investigation, Dominican Republic prosecutors determined that David Ortiz was the subject of mistaken identity in a shooting attack on June 9. According to the Associated Press, the gunman’s target was Ortiz’s friend, Sixto David Fernandez, who was seated at the same table inside Dial Bar and Lounge.
Suspected gunman Rolfi Ferreras Cruz has since been detained. After viewing a photo of who he believed to be Fernandez, Cruz opened fire but struck Ortiz instead. The image that was shared with Cruz by an accomplice was blurry, resulting in the case of mistaken identity. The attack was reportedly planned by Victor Hugo Gomez, an alleged member of a Mexican drug cartel. The AP states Gomez ordered a hit on his cousin, Fernandez, due to speculation of the latter notifying investigators in the Dominican Republic of Gomez’s activities in 2011. According to NPR, Gomez remains at large, presumably in the United States.
In an Instagram post, the retired Boston Red Sox player’s wife, Tiffany Ortiz, shared that doctors have deemed her husband to be in “good” standing. “David’s journey to good health has been bolstered by the many expressions of love that have come to us from across the globe,” she wrote. “Your support has lifted his spirits tremendously during this challenging time.”
📽️ Dominican presser with English translation via @CNN #DavidOrtiz pic.twitter.com/JMdZSM9BJ7
— AndreaWBZ (@AndreaWBZ) June 19, 2019
Eleven people have been detained for their reported involvement in the attack.
