2nd arrest made in shooting of David Ortiz

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A spokeswoman for the national prosecutor's office in the Dominican Republic says a second person has been arrested in the investigation into the shooting of former Red Sox star David Ortiz. There is no public indication the man is the suspected shooter.

Spokeswoman Julieta Tejeda reported the arrest to a group of journalists via WhatsApp on Tuesday night. She declined to provide further details.

Ortiz was shot Sunday and is now recovering from exploratory surgery in Boston, where he was flown Monday night.

Ortíz had his back to the sidewalk at a bar Sunday as a gunman — a passenger on a motorcycle — got off the bike just before 9 p.m., approached the 43-year-old retired athlete and fired a single shot at close range before escaping.

The motorcyclist, Eddy Vladimir Féliz Garcia, who had a 2017 arrest for drug possession, was one of several people in custody as of Tuesday afternoon, a law-enforcement official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to release details of the investigation.

A police car carrying Féliz Garcia drove up to a shipping container serving as a makeshift courtroom on Tuesday evening, and sat there for about a half-hour before driving off again. Court officials said the hearing had been delayed because Féliz Garcia's charging documents had not arrived in time. He was brought back about 10 p.m. for charging.

A spokesman for prosecutors, Erick Montilla, said Féliz Garcia was charged as an accomplice to an attempted murder.

His lawyer, Deivi Solano, said Féliz Garcia had no idea who he'd picked up and what was about to happen when he stopped to take a fare.

"He didn't know what they were going to do. He's a fan of David's," Solano said.

Feliz Garcia's mother defended her son Tuesday and said he's innocent.

Ortiz's wife, Tiffany, said in a statement earlier Tuesday that the player is "stable, awake and resting comfortably" in the intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is expected to remain there several days.

Dominican doctors removed Ortiz's gallbladder and part of his intestine.

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Associated Press