Accused David Ortiz gunman connected to NJ robbery

The man accused of shooting former Red Sox great David Ortiz already was wanted for two separate 2017 armed robberies that happened the same day in Clifton, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announced today.

Rolfi Ferreira-Cruz, 25, was charged by the Dominican Republic National Police along with five accomplices in the shooting of Ortiz at a popular bar in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic Sunday night.

The national police director, Maj. Gen. Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte, said the coordinator of the attack was offered 400,000 Dominican pesos, or about $7,800, to orchestrate the shooting. He said the alleged coordinator was also among those in custody. The identity of the coordinator was not disclosed.

In early 2018, Clifton police were looking for a suspect identified as Rolfi Ferreira-Cruz of Reading, PA, in connection with two separate armed street robberies that took place on Dec. 22, 2017, according to Valdes.

He was charged with first degree armed robbery, second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, second degree unlawful possession of a firearm, third degree receiving stolen property, fourth degree possession of prohibited weapons and hollow point bullets, third degree unlawful possession of a weapon, bb gun and fourth degree, possession of an imitation firearm, first degree employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime and fourth degree aggravated assault.

Valdes said Ferreira-Cruz was charged but never apprehended.

Ortiz's wife said in statement that Ortiz, who retired in 2016, was able to sit up and take some steps as he recuperates in the intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

"His condition is guarded, and he will remain in the ICU for the coming days, but he is making good progress toward recovery," Tiffany Ortiz said in the statement.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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