David Ortiz is said to be recovering in the ICU after a six-hour surgery. As previously reported by Heavy, Big Papi was shot in the back on Sunday night. At the time, he was at a bar in the Dominican Republic.
The latest update on Ortiz’s condition was tweeted out by Dominican journalist Dionisio Soldevila.
“David Ortiz’s surgery was six hours, not two like his father said. It’s been confirmed to us that part of his intestines, colon, and gallbladder were removed. He’s in the ICU, stable and recovering,” the translated tweet reads.
The Boston Red Sox have offered their support to the retired slugger and have offered “all available resources” to his family.
#RedSox Statement Regarding David Ortiz:
Here’s what you need to know:
A Doctor That Operated on Ortiz Said That the Former MLB Star Was ‘Out of Danger’ Last Night
In the video above, you can see Ortiz sitting at a table inside the club. It seemed like a normal night until Ortiz was shot in the back. The bullet went through his body and came out his abdomen.
Ortiz was rushed to the Integral Medical Center in the Eastern Zone where he received initial treatment. Dominican journalist Jose P. Monegro recently tweeted that Ortiz was later transferred to Abel Gonzalez clinic on Lincoln Avenue. He underwent surgery, which was first reported to be two hours long. On Monday, Dominican journalist Dionisio Soldevila tweeted that the surgery was six hours long.
“One of the doctors who performed the surgery told Dominican TV station CDN 37 that Ortiz is out of danger,” ESPN reported on Sunday night.
Due to the gunshot wound, Ortiz needed to have parts of his intestines, colon, and gallbladder removed, according to Soldevila. Ortiz is currently in the ICU where he is said to be “stable and recovering.”
It was initially reported that Ortiz was shot during an attempted robbery, but the local police later said it was not believed to be a robbery. The police declined to provide more information about a possible motive, saying that the investigation is ongoing. A suspect, identified as 23-year-old Eddy Feliz Garcia has been arrested.
Several Baseball Greats Have Tweeted Their Well-Wishes for Big Papi
Not long after the shooting was confirmed, several baseball greats and longtime friends of Ortiz took to Twitter to wish Big Papi well.
“Our thoughts are with David Ortiz, who is reportedly hospitalized after being shot in his hometown of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic,” the MLB tweeted on Sunday night.
“I’m at peace knowing you out of danger; you a strong man Compai, can’t wait to hear your voice. My thoughts and prayers are with you, see you soon,” Ortiz’s former Red Sox teammate Pedro Martinez tweeted along with a photo of him hugging Papi.
“Anxiously waiting for more news. In the meantime, only prayers for @davidortiz, Tiffany and their family,” former New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez tweeted.
READ NEXT: Here’s What You Need to Know About the David Ortiz Shooting
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David Ortiz Update: Big Papi Is ‘Recovering’ in the ICU After Surgery