Report: Court Convicts 10 People for 2019 Attack on David Ortiz
The Hall of Famer was shot at a bar in the Dominican Republic.
A court in the Dominican Republic convicted 10 of the 13 people Monday who were accused of attempting to murder former Red Sox star David “Big Papi” Ortiz in Santo Domingo on June 9, 2019, according to ESPN.
Of the 10 convictions, the longest sentences were handed down to Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, who is accused of shooting Ortiz, and Eddy Vladimir Feliz Garcia. Both were sentenced to 30 years in prison. The other eight defendants received sentences between five and 20 years in prison, per the report.
Victor Hugo Gomez Vasquez, the attack’s alleged mastermind, is one of the three defendants acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The shooting occurred in the country’s capital when Ortiz and the attack’s reported target, Sixto David Fernandez, were at a bar sitting together at a table. The hitmen confused Ortiz for Fernandez and subsequently shot Ortiz. He was initially treated at a local hospital before being transferred to a hospital in Boston where he spent six weeks receiving care, per ESPN.
According to ESPN, Dominican authorities said the full sentence will be read Feb. 8, 2023.