DR Attorney General Says Ortiz Was Not The Intended Target Of Shooting (... But, Honestly, Who The Hell Knows If That's True?)

Alex Reimer, WEEI:

Dominican authorities say David Ortiz was not the intended target of last Sunday's shooting inside of a crowded bar in Santo Domingo. ...

At a press conference Wednesday, Dominican Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez said the attack was plotted against Sixto David Fernandez, who regularly attends the Dial Bar and Lounge. "The target was a friend of David Ortiz's, who was sharing the same table," Rodriguez said to reporters. "The attack was specifically against Sixto David Fernandez, who had been visiting that establishment." ...

Rodriguez also said a drug cartel member, Victor Hugo Gomez, is the mastermind behind the shooting. Dominican police say he paid the perpetrators roughly $7,800 to carry out the attack. So far, 12 co-conspirators have been arrested, with several more on the loose, including Gomez.

Officials say Gomez elicited the help of two prison inmates, Jose Eduardo Ciprián and Carlos Alvarez, to help organize the apparent assassination attempt.

The Daily Mail and other outlets have reported a drug kingpin ordered the hit on Ortiz, because he was engaged in a romantic relationship with one of the kingpin's partners. Receipts show Ortiz purchased an $85,000 Lexus for the woman in question, Maria Yeribell Martinez Garcia, one day before the shooting. She was also videotaped getting into an altercation with members of Ortiz's entourage at the hospital hours after he had been shot. ...

"David is very popular in the D.R. He's loved there, no question about that," [Red Sox security official Eddie] Dominguez explained. "I'm sure they're going to try to put the best spin possible on it, but I'm not quite sure you'll ever get the whole story from the Dominicans. I think the only way you'll get to the bottom of this is if United States law enforcement officials get involved."

Ortiz's wife, Tiffany, shared an update on the beloved slugger on Tuesday.

This morning, David's condition was upgraded to "good" by his doctors and he continues to make progress with his recovery in the intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. We remain grateful to everyone who has helped David through this ordeal, both in the Dominican Republic and here in Boston. David's journey to good health has been bolstered by the many expressions of love that have come to us from across the globe. Your support has lifted his spirits tremendously during this challenging time.