Ethan Pritchard shooting: Three people reportedly arrested in incident involving Florida State LB

The Florida State Seminoles football team was rocked earlier this season by the shooting of freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard. Now, an arrest has been made regarding the shooting.

The Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday that three suspects have been arrested for the shooting. As of now, their names have not been publicly made available. A press conference is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. EST.

Ethan Pritchard was shot in the back of the head while in a car following the team’s Week 1 win against Alabama. At the time, he was visiting family in Havana, Florida. He was driving his aunt home from a family gathering at the time, around 25 minutes away from Florida State’s campus. 

When officers arrived on the scene, Pritchard was found wounded inside the vehicle. This was just before 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 30th, near the Havana Heights Apartment. From there, he was transported to the hospital. There, he was described as being in critical but stable condition. 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 on Monday 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.”

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell would be asked about the arrest at his press conference on Wednesday. There, he praised everyone involved in Pritchard’s case, helping him in his recovery and in the investigation. 

“We’re grateful for all the work that’s been done with everybody involved,” Norvell said. “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.” 

Ethan Pritchard was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2025, making him a true freshman at Florida State. He was the 555th-ranked player and the 61st-ranked linebacker in that recruiting class. A native of Sanford, Florida, he played his high school football at Seminole. 

Mike Norvell defines Florida State LB in ‘critical state’ after being shot in head

Ethan Pritchard remains in the hospital. His progress has been slow and he remains in a critical state. However, as Mike Norvell recently shared, there has been some progress. 

“Nothing more than he’s progressing but still in a critical state,” Mike Norvell said. “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.”