Report: David Ortiz was targeted in 2019 shooting by a drug kingpin

BOSTON — A private investigation into the 2019 shooting of Red Sox legend David Ortiz in the Dominican Republic has found Ortiz was targeted in the shooting by an international drug dealing kingpin who wanted him dead, according to a report by the Boston Globe.

The investigation was completed by former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, who was hired by Ortiz to conduct the examination of the shooting.

According to the Boston Globe report, David said the “powerful and politically connected drug lord César “The Abuser” Peralta came to feel disrespected by Ortiz, prompting him to place a bounty on Ortiz’s head and sanction the ragtag hit squad that tried to kill him.”

Davis, citing information that he says was shared with him by “US law enforcement officials,” told the Globe that Peralta had Ortiz shot.

The Globe spoke with David Ortiz from his native Dominican Republic, telling the Globe he was “sad, confused, angry, all kinds of emotions” when Davis broke the news to him and told the Globe he had nothing more than a casual relationship with Peralta, who’s currently behind bars in Puerto Rico.

The Globe reports that the findings by Ed Davis contradict previous stories about the shooting by police in the Dominican who had said Ortiz was targeted by an unknown person, and then that it was a case of mistaken identity.

“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 US court systems,” said Joe Baerlein, a spokesman for David Ortiz in an email to Boston 25.

“People should not forget that David Ortiz is the victim here,” said Baerlein.

At least 11 people are facing charges in connection with the shooting according to the Associated Press. Ortiz was shot in June of 2019, at an amusement center in the Dominican Republic.

The wounds were so serious, Ortiz had to be flown to Mass General Hospital in Boston for treatment.

Later that year, in September 2019, Ortiz spoke for the first time with Boston media about the shooting.

When asked why Big Papi thought this happened to him, Ortiz answered “That was a question I asked myself. I’m a good person, I’m a friendly guy. I want to make sure people around me are taken care of.”

“I have a lot of things going on down there, I hardly have enough time to you know do my things, so it was very surprising for me that a situation like this happened because I’m a guy who always, you know, my family, my friends when I’m down there,” said Ortiz in 2019. “I always make sure everyone is good and taken care of and you know, situations like this happen you kind of, you know, puts you on the spot, gets you thinking I mean it’s just, I was about to come back to my house the very next day. I only went for about ten days and uhh, a sitch like this, you are like whoa, but I got to say it has been a game-changer. And now you start thinking different.”

Boston 25 has reached out to Ed Davis for a copy of his report. Davis was first hired in August of 2019.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group