Ethan Pritchard shooting: Police reveal a fourth suspect arrested in incident involving Florida State LB

Hours after arresting three people in connection with the Aug. 31 shooting involving Florida State freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office announced a fourth arrest Wednesday afternoon, according to Tallahassee’s WTXL-27. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement identified the four suspects in the shooting as Jayden Bodison, Caron Miller, Germany Atkins, and 16-year-old juvenile.

“Just over a week ago, all four suspects — I can tell you today — that hurt FSU student Ethan Pritchard and his family, are in custody,” FDLE commssioner Mark Glass said during a Wednesday press conference.

Pritchard remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition more than a week after he was shot in the back of the head while dropping off his aunt and a 3-year-old cousin at a local apartment complex in Havana (Fla.), roughly 25 minutes away from the Tallahassee campus. The shooting happened one day after the Seminoles upset preseason Top 10 Alabama 31-17 in Tallahassee.

Gadsden County (Fla.) Sheriff Morris A. Young said Wednesday’s arrests came after a connection was established with a previous shooting Aug. 25 in the same Havana Heights apartment complex.

“We think — we don’t know, it’s still under investigation — that these two incidents (have) the same folk involved,” Young said in Wednesday’s press conference. “Ethan, along with his aunt, was taking her back home. That was it. And of course, (Pritchard) was ambushed, I would say, by gunfire. We know we have the four suspects who were involved in that incident, and at this time I don’t think we have any others.”

When officers arrived on the scene, Pritchard was found wounded inside the vehicle. This was just before 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31, near the Havana Heights Apartment. From there, he was transported to a local Tallahassee hospital. Amid the tragedy, Pritchard’s father has been asking for prayers for his son.

“Just ask the community and everybody for their prayers,” Earl Pritchard, Ethan’s father, told WFTV-9 the day after the shooting, according to ESPN. “He was actually in the car taking my sister around the corner to her daughter’s house to drop her off. They turned the corner, and as soon as they turned the corner, they heard gunshots.”

FSU head coach Mike Norvell provided an update on Pritchard’s status during the team’s Wednesday press conference.

“Nothing more than he’s progressing but still in a critical state,” Norvell said Wednesday. “I got to go see him on Monday for a short while. Talked to his dad this morning before practice. Staying up multiple times a day just trying to stay connected. Just continuing to pray for him.

“We’re grateful for all the work that’s been done with everybody involved,” Norvell continued. “With the medical staff. With the police department and their pursuit. We’re grateful for all things that have been done in regards to helping with the situation with Ethan.”

— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.