All four individuals suspected in the shooting of Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard have been taken into custody, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass confirmed during a news conference on Wednesday.
Glass, along with multiple law enforcement agencies, announced search warrants were served and multiple arrests were made, including Jayden Bodison, Caron Miller, Germany Atkins, and a 16-year-old “juvenile.”
“When one hurts, we all hurt. When something happens in our area, we all have to respond. We respond by giving tips, we respond by rallying around each other. And what you’re seeing behind me is one team, one fighting in the Big Bend area here,” Glass said.
“All four suspects, I can tell you today, that hurt FSU student Ethan Pritchard and his family are in custody.”
GettyTALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 25: A general view of Doak Campbell Stadium before the start of a game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida Gators on November 25, 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Ethan Pritchard Was Shot in the Head and in Stable Condition
A day after Florida State defeated Alabama, on Sunday, August 31, Pritchard was shot in the head near the Havana Heights Apartment complex in what authorities described as an “ambush” of gunfire. He had been driving his aunt and a 3-year-old child home from a family cookout in Havana when the attack occurred.
Florida State Athletic Director Michael Alford said Wednesday that Pritchard is in stable condition. “Not much has changed right now. He is in critical but stable condition,” he said. “We would just like everyone to pray for him.”
Authorities Believe it’s a Case of Mistaken Identity
Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young said Pritchard was doing “absolutely nothing wrong” and was simply in “the wrong place at the wrong time.” All four suspects are also believed to have been involved in an earlier shooting on Tuesday, August 25, targeting Marcus Harris at the same Havana Heights Apartments.
“We believe in this investigation that it was a mistaken identity. I mentioned the first shooting when Marcus Harris was a victim on Tuesday, the 25th, we believe that the same type of car that Ethan was driving was involved in that shooting,” Young said.
“We don’t know that for a fact, but that’s the reason why they were sort of humming in on that particular vehicle… I can say that Ethan was totally, totally nowhere near involved in this incident.”
Florida State Pays Tribute to Pritchard; His Father Speaks Out
Florida State paid tribute to Pritchard during last Saturday’s 77-3 win over East Texas A&M by wearing wristbands bearing his number, 35.
His father, Earl, stood on the sidelines and participated in the Seminoles’ ceremonial rock-breaking after the game. Safety Earl Little Jr. honored Pritchard as well, wearing his name on his nose tape and carrying his jersey to midfield for the coin toss before kickoff.
“Just keep praying for him, because he needs it,” Earl told WESH2 in Orlando. “He’s not out of the woods yet. It’s like a game. It’s the first quarter right now, so he still got a couple more quarters to go, but he’s going to make it, though he’s going to know my kids, good kid, he’s a strong kid.”
A GoFundMe page has been launched for the Pritchard family, with all contributions directed toward covering medical bills, travel costs, and the countless struggles they face during this difficult time.
4 Arrested in Shooting of Florida State Linebacker Ethan Pritchard