Florida State freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard has been released from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and is being moved to Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville for the next stage in his recovery process, the school announced on Thursday afternoon.
“Ethan is alert, responsive and able to communicate,” an FSU spokesperson stated in an email. “We are thankful for the efforts, thoughts and prayers of so many people and ask that you continue to support Ethan and his family as this process continues.”
Pritchard was shot the day after the Alabama game as he drove home his aunt and a 3-year-old to their apartment in Havana, Fla. He was “not doing anything wrong” when he was ambushed outside the apartment building.
Jayden Bodison, Caron Miller, Germany Atkins and an unnamed minor have been arrested in connection with the shooting, the FDLE announced on Sept. . Bodison, Miller and the juvenile were charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle. Atkins was charged with one count of probation violation.
Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young said authorities think Pritchard’s shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
Below is a statement from Ethan’s father, Earl Pritchard:
“I am so thankful for everyone who has prayed for my son. There have been a lot of ups and downs over these last 39 days, and it is remarkable that Ethan and I were able to leave the hospital together today. I want to especially thank Dr. Albert Lee and his team, the ECMO team and the nurses on the third and fourth floors at TMH for the care and medical expertise they have provided Ethan. Coach Norvell has checked in every day and has been a constant presence visiting us here at the hospital, and his players and staff have continued to make us feel part of the team. I can’t fully express how much those moments have meant to me and Ethan. The Florida State Sports Medicine staff has provided consistent communication and collaboration with the wonderful doctors at TMH.
“I can’t say enough about the support we have received from our hometown and all of Seminole County. Coach Karl Calhoun and Seminole High School have created a tremendous support system for me, and I’m truly thankful for the culture we’re part of. I also want to thank Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young and the FDLE for their hard work and dedication to pursuing justice for Ethan. My heart is filled with gratitude for the outpouring of support for so many people, and I’m so appreciative for every single one of you. Ethan has a long journey ahead of him, but I know he will continue to fight and he will do so with the full support of our FSU and Seminole County families and all who have been impacted by his story.”
