HAVANA, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) – Officials say a Florida State University football player was identified as the victim of a shooting Sunday night in Havana.
Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young confirmed the shooting happened just before 10 p.m. near the Havana Heights Apartments at the corner of 16th Street and South Main Street Sunday night.
According to Captain Anglie Holmes, a man later identified as Ethan Pritchard was found wounded inside a vehicle.
“Officers did arrive [and] were able to get him out of the vehicle, and EMS arrived where they transported him to a local hospital,” Holmes said.
According to the FSU Athletics page, Pritchard, from Sanford, FL, is a true freshman linebacker on the FSU football team.
On Monday morning, Steven McCartney, a public relations representative for FSU Football, released a statement on behalf of the program.
“Ethan Pritchard, a freshman linebacker on Florida State’s football team, is in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at a local hospital after suffering a gunshot wound last night while visiting family in Havana, Florida,” the statement read. “The Pritchard family is thankful for the support from so many people, as well as the care from first responders and medical professionals, and asks that their privacy be respected at this time. Further updates will be provided as they are available.”
FSU head coach Mike Norvell also addressed the shooting in a Monday press conference.
“Thoughts and prayers are with Ethan Pritchard and his family. It’s obviously an extremely, just tragic event for the young man. I got a chance to be there last night with him and his dad and family… Our football team, coaches, family, we’re all here to support them. We’re grateful for all of the resources around our players. I’m grateful for their hearts. I mean, they love this family that we get to be a part of, and there’s a lot of emotions, and I’ve got a lot of emotions.”
Investigators are still working to determine what led up to the shooting.
Holmes also addressed misinformation circulating in the community about a possible arrest being made in this case.
The Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, Havana Police Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) were all on the scene.
Holmes says that the GCSO is remaining vigilant and encourages anyone who might have seen something to come forward.
FDLE is now the lead in this investigation.
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