Private Investigators Reveal Why David Ortiz Was Shot in 2019

MLB star David Ortiz was targeted by a drug trafficker back in 2019. According to the Associated Press, private investigators determined a Dominican drug trafficker had Ortiz shot at a Dominican nightclub in 2019 because he was jealous and felt disrespected by him. Boston police commissioner Edward Davis told the Boston Globe that drug-trafficker César Peralta orchestrated the shooting by placing a bounty on Oritz and sanctioning the hit squad that tried to kill him. 

Peralta is being held without bail in Puerto Rico on unrelated charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin. Oritz's spokesperson Joe Baerlein told the Globe that the findings were withheld for Ortiz's safety until Peralta was in U.S. custody. Peralta has yet to be charged with the shooting. 

"As bad as César Peralta is, it's not even close to being in the ballpark to say he had something to do with this," Peralta's lawyer Joaquin Perez said, who also mentioned that Ortiz and Peralta as "close friends." However, Oritz told the Globe he knew Peralta only casually and was "sad, confused, angry, all kinds of emotions" when he heard the news. 

13 people have been charged in the shooting and are awaiting trial in the Dominican Republic. Dominican authorities have said the target was meant to be Sixto David Fernandez who was sitting right next to Ortiz at the time of the shooting. When Ortiz was shot he, underwent multiple surgeries and spent nearly 50 days in the hospital. 

"People need to understand, this isn't a movie where you get shot in the street and you're back two minutes later," Ortiz told the Globe in 2019. "No, I got shot and almost died. I only have one life to live. I can't just go to the pharmacy and buy another one."  

Ortiz, 46, spent six seasons with the Minnesota Twins and 14 with the Boston Red Sox. In his career, Ortiz was selected to play in the All-Star game 10 times, won the Silver Slugger Award seven times and helped the Red Sox win three World Series championships. He finished his career with 2,472 hits, 541 home runs and 1,768 RBIs with a .286 batting average. In January, Oritz was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.