Ethan Pritchard update: Florida State LB 'critical but stable' in hospital after shooting

Florida State Seminoles linebacker Ethan Pritchard has been hospitalized after being shot. The incident occurred while he was visiting family in Havana, Florida.

Now, in a statement from Florida State, the Seminoles shared an update on Ethan Pritchard. There, they confirmed he’s been hospitalized and is in critical but stable condition.

“Ethan Pritchard, a freshman linebacker on Florida State’s football team, is in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at a local hospital after suffering a gunshot wound last night while visiting family in Havana, Florida,” the statement reads. “The Pritchard family is thankful for the support from so many people, as well as the care from first responders and medical professionals, and asks that their privacy be respected at this time. Further updates will be provided as they are available.”

Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young shared some insight into what happened during the incident. Just before 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night, near the Havana Heights Apartment, the shooting occurred. On the scene, Ethan Pritchard was found wounded inside a vehicle.

“Officers did arrive [and] were able to get him out of the vehicle,” Captain Anglie Holmes said. “And EMS arrived where they transported him to a local hospital.”

As of now, the motivation behind the shooting is still unclear. Investigators are working to both figure that out, as well as identify a suspect in the case. The Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to stay vigilant and encourages anyone with information to come forward.

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. He would go on to commit to Florida State over other power programs, like multiple in-state ones like Florida, Miami, and UCF.

This comes following Florida State’s first game of the season. That was an emotional upset win over Alabama. However, as a true freshman, Pritchard did not see the field during that game.

More details on Ethan Pritchard are expected to come out over time. The focus now is on making sure he fully recovers from the shooting so that he can get back on the field and playing with the Seminoles in his college career. When that may come, however, will be determined at some point in the future.