Four arrested in connection to shooting of Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard

Florida law enforcement have arrested four people in connection to the Aug. 31 shooting of Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard,  state Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said Wednesday, per the Associated Press. Pritchard remains in critical but stable condition at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital after being shot in the back of the head.

According to law enforcement, Pritchard had been dropping off family members, including an aunt and a child, at an apartment in Havana, Florida, when he was ambushed, resulting in him being shot while inside of his car. According to Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young, officials believe that Pritchard's shooting was a case of mistaken identity.

Three men -- Jayden Bodison, Caron Miller, Germany Atkins -- as well as an unnamed minor were arrested in connection to the shooting. Bodison, Miller, and the minor have been charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle. Atkins, meanwhile, has been charged with one count of probation violation.

Florida State's Mike Norvell overcome with emotion after team honors hospitalized LB Ethan Pritchard

Will Backus

The shooting took place one day after Florida State's season-opening win against Alabama, a game in which Pritchard did not play. Pritchard, a freshman, was a three-star prospect in the school's 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Pritchard was honored by his teammates last Saturday before their game against East Texas A&M, as his jersey was brought out to midfield for the coin toss, among other tributes. Pritchard's father, Earl, was in attendance.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell became visibly emotional following the game when discussing Pritchard and what it meant to see the team play for him, and do so in front of his father.

"Ethan is one of my favorites," Norvell said. "I recruited him for years and got a chance to watch him grow. When he committed to Florida State, the way that he plays the game, his passion and energy -- he loves it. I mean absolutely loves it. 

"To know that right now that's taken away from him in a senseless act and something that you don't always know why. You don't know why you have to go through things in life. You don't understand the reasoning, but I do believe that God has his hand over Ethan and this football team and all the relationships."