The father of Florida State freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard is asking for prayers for his son, who was the victim of a shooting Sunday night in Havana, Fla.
Earl Pritchard spoke with WFTV, the ABC affiliate in Orlando, and revealed his son had been shot in the head while driving a family member home from a gathering.
The school announced Monday that Pritchard had been shot and was in critical but stable condition, but didn’t provide any details. The elder Pritchard filled in some of the unknowns when he was interviewed by the station later in the day.
“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,” Earl said.
One of the bullets struck Ethan in the back of the head, his father said, adding Ethan was heavily sedated at the hospital.
“We just ask the community and everybody for their prayers,” Earl said.
A neighbor told WFTV that Ethan’s car crashed into a shed.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is in charge of the investigation.
Havana is about 16 miles northwest of the Florida State campus in Tallahassee.
Head coach Mike Norvell told reporters on Monday that he spent time with Pritchard’s family at the hospital.
“This is obviously an extremely tragic event for the young man,” Norvell said.
“Our football team, coaches, family, we’re all here to support them. We’re praying for all parts of him and the journey that’s ahead. Definitely appreciate the support from everybody in the community that we feel and just continue to be with him.”
The 247Sports composite rankings listed Pritchard as a three-star recruit in the 2025 class. He played at Seminole High School in Sanford, Fla.
He did not play in Florida State’s season-opening upset over No. 8 Alabama.
