Alleged drug lord Cesar Emilio Peralta arrested in connection with David Ortiz shooting

Another man who has been accused of playing a role in David Ortiz being shot in the Dominican Republic earlier this year has been arrested.

Alleged drug kingpin Cesar Emilio Peralta was taken into custody in Colombia on Monday, according to a report from CBS News. Peralta had been wanted by the FBI since 2018 in connection with drug trafficking.

More than a dozen arrests have been made so far stemming from Ortiz being shot, though details and motives remain largely unclear. There have been theories floated about why a drug lord would issue a hit on Ortiz, but authorities have not confirmed any. Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic have said Ortiz was not the intended target of the attempted assassination.

Authorities arrested another man back in June who they believe was one of the orchestrators of the plot that resulted in Ortiz being shot.

Initial reports indicated that Ortiz was shot in an attempted robbery, but a disturbing video of the incident showed a man walk up behind the 43-year-old and shoot him in the back before fleeing. The bullet entered Ortiz’s back and exited through his stomach, and he had to undergo extensive surgery after some of his intestines and organs were damaged.

Fortunately, Ortiz has made a full recovery. He was able to again work as an analyst during the MLB playoffs and appears to be doing quite well.