Retired Red Sox slugger and recent Baseball Hall of Fame electee David Ortiz was shot in 2019 on the order of a notorious drug kingpin, according to newly revealed details from a private investigation. The three-time World Series champion was shot in the back on June 9, 2019, at a bar in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, while sitting at a table with a friend. Local officials had at one point suggested the friend was believed to be the target.Ortiz hired former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to assist in the investigation into his shooting in the Dominican Republic. Davis’s security firm was also previously hired to provide security protection for Ortiz.Some of Davis’ findings were confirmed Saturday to SportsCenter 5 by Ortiz’s communications adviser, Joe Baerlein, of Baerlein and Partners.”As a result of a six-to-seven-month investigation that was conducted by Ed Davis with the assistance of Ric Prado, they determined that Caesar Emilio Peralta ordered the shooting of David Ortiz,” Baerlein said.Peralta is also known as “The Abuser” or “el Abusador” who is currently being held on drug trafficking charges filed in Puerto Rico.Prado is a former CIA Clandestine Services Officer, who recently published a book about his intelligence career. According to the Boston Globe, which was first to report on Davis’ conclusions, Peralta felt disrespected by Ortiz. The newspaper wrote that Peralta had placed a bounty on Ortiz’s head and sanctioned the hit squad that tried to kill him. According to the newspaper, Davis reached this conclusion using information that US law enforcement officials had gathered and shared.Miami-based attorney, Joaquin Perez, who represents Peralta, told the Globe his client “had nothing to do with” the attempt on Ortiz’s life. Perez also described Ortiz and Peralta to the newspaper as “close friends.”Baerlein told SportsCenter 5 that Ortiz and Peralta knew of each other because of Peralta’s nightclubs and restaurants in Santo Domingo, but were not close. “We are not providing any further comment at this time as any additional information and answers on the motive for the shooting of David Ortiz will come from the legal system in the Dominican Republic and the U.S. court systems,” Baerlein said. “People should not forget that David Ortiz is the victim here.”At the time of this publication, NewsCenter 5 has been unable to independently confirm statements from Perez. Last December, Peralta was extradited to the US from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges filed in Puerto Rico. According to Puerto Rico’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, Peralta was the leader of a transnational criminal organization based in the Dominican Republic.Officials say the organization received multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela and transported these to Puerto Rico and the continental United States.After the 2019 shooting, Ortiz was rushed in a private SUV to a medical facility where he underwent an initial surgery to save his life. Ortiz was later flown to Boston on an air ambulance sent by the Red Sox and underwent two additional surgeries at Massachusetts General Hospital. Approximately three months after the shooting, Ortiz made his first public appearance by throwing out the first pitch before a game between the Red Sox and rival New York Yankees at Fenway Park.Ortiz became an analyst for FOX late in the 2021 season, including broadcasting some games from Fenway Park. More than a dozen people were arrested in connection with the 2019 shooting and at least one was killed.
Retired Red Sox slugger and recent Baseball Hall of Fame electee David Ortiz was shot in 2019 on the order of a notorious drug kingpin, according to newly revealed details from a private investigation.
The three-time World Series champion was shot in the back on June 9, 2019, at a bar in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, while sitting at a table with a friend. Local officials had at one point suggested the friend was believed to be the target.
Ortiz hired former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to assist in the investigation into his shooting in the Dominican Republic. Davis’s security firm was also previously hired to provide security protection for Ortiz.
Some of Davis’ findings were confirmed Saturday to SportsCenter 5 by Ortiz’s communications adviser, Joe Baerlein, of Baerlein and Partners.
“As a result of a six-to-seven-month investigation that was conducted by Ed Davis with the assistance of Ric Prado, they determined that Caesar Emilio Peralta ordered the shooting of David Ortiz,” Baerlein said.
Peralta is also known as “The Abuser” or “el Abusador” who is currently being held on drug trafficking charges filed in Puerto Rico.
Prado is a former CIA Clandestine Services Officer, who recently published a book about his intelligence career.
According to the Boston Globe, which was first to report on Davis’ conclusions, Peralta felt disrespected by Ortiz. The newspaper wrote that Peralta had placed a bounty on Ortiz’s head and sanctioned the hit squad that tried to kill him.
According to the newspaper, Davis reached this conclusion using information that US law enforcement officials had gathered and shared.
Miami-based attorney, Joaquin Perez, who represents Peralta, told the Globe his client “had nothing to do with” the attempt on Ortiz’s life. Perez also described Ortiz and Peralta to the newspaper as “close friends.”
Baerlein told SportsCenter 5 that Ortiz and Peralta knew of each other because of Peralta’s nightclubs and restaurants in Santo Domingo, but were not close.
“We are not providing any further comment at this time as any additional information and answers on the motive for the shooting of David Ortiz will come from the legal system in the Dominican Republic and the U.S. court systems,” Baerlein said. “People should not forget that David Ortiz is the victim here.”
At the time of this publication, NewsCenter 5 has been unable to independently confirm statements from Perez.
Last December, Peralta was extradited to the US from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges filed in Puerto Rico. According to Puerto Rico’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, Peralta was the leader of a transnational criminal organization based in the Dominican Republic.
Officials say the organization received multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela and transported these to Puerto Rico and the continental United States.
After the 2019 shooting, Ortiz was rushed in a private SUV to a medical facility where he underwent an initial surgery to save his life. Ortiz was later flown to Boston on an air ambulance sent by the Red Sox and underwent two additional surgeries at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Approximately three months after the shooting, Ortiz made his first public appearance by throwing out the first pitch before a game between the Red Sox and rival New York Yankees at Fenway Park.
Ortiz became an analyst for FOX late in the 2021 season, including broadcasting some games from Fenway Park.
More than a dozen people were arrested in connection with the 2019 shooting and at least one was killed.
