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Ethan Pritchard GoFundMe raises over $140,000 as FSU football player released from hospital month after shooting

The freshman football player was shot while with this family a day after winning the first game of the season
posted by Sourodeep Dey
Friday 10/10/2025 at 1:22AM EDT
  • Linebacker Ethan Pritchard #35 of the Florida State Seminoles during the first day of Fall Football Practice at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on the campus of Florida State University on July, 2025 in Tallahassee, Florida. Pritchard is in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at a local hospital after suffering a gunshot wound in the head over the weekend while visiting family in Havana, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
    Linebacker Ethan Pritchard #35 of the Florida State Seminoles during the first day of Fall Football Practice at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on the campus of Florida State University on July, 2025 in Tallahassee, Florida. Pritchard is in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at a local hospital after suffering a gunshot wound in the head over the weekend while visiting family in Havana, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

    Ethan Pritchard, the freshman linebacker from Florida State University who was shot on August 31, was recently released from the hospital. Pritchard would now be moved to a Jacksonville rehab center to work on his recovery more than a month after he was shot, according to WCTV.

    A day after winning the Florida State Seminoles’ season-opening game against Alabama, Pritchard was shot in the head while visiting with his family at 16th and South Main streets, close to the Havana Heights Apartments, as per Gadsden County Sheriff's Office, reported Tallahassee Democrat.

    A GoFundMe was created for the young student-athlete on September 3. The initial goal of the fundraising campaign was to reach $100,000.

    As a consequence of people donating in hordes, the fundraiser reached its target within a day, as per Tallahassee Democrat. 

    Now, the campaign has collected more than $145,000 as about 20 donations were made after news of Pritchard being released from the hospital broke. 

    The GoFundMe page, while asking people to donate, recounted the circumstances under which Pritchard was shot. The note on the page read,

    “Ethan Pritchard, a beloved FSU football player, is currently fighting for his life after suffering a gunshot wound while driving his aunt home following FSU’s victory over the #8 ranked Alabama. Tragically, Ethan’s car was mistaken for someone else’s and was fired upon, leaving him critically injured but stable in the hospital.”

    While sharing the influence that Pritchard’s success as a football player has had on many, the campaign page noted that it was created to support his medical bills and other needs that came along with the need to address his injury. The note on the page added,

    “Ethan is cherished by so many—from his hometown of Sanford, FL, to fans and friends across the entire state. During this unimaginable time, we are asking for your support. All funds raised will go directly toward helping Ethan and his family with medical expenses, travel, and the many needs that arise as they navigate this heartbreaking journey. Your generosity, prayers, and love mean more than words can express.”

     

     

    Arrests were made in the Ethan Pritchard shooting case

    Two weeks after Ethan Pritchard was shot, Florida Department of Law Enforcement revealed that they had 4 suspects in custody related to the linebacker’s shooting.

    As per WCTV, an FDLE special agent shared during a press conference that Caron Miller, Jayden Bodison, and a juvenile suspect have been charged with attempted murder alongside a count of shooting into an occupied vehicle.

    Meanwhile, the fourth suspect,  Germany Atkins was charged with violating probation. While announcing the arrests, FDLE’s Keith Wilmer, as per WCTV, said,

    “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

    As per CNN, Pritchard was dropping his aunt and a child when he was shot in his head. At the time, the FDLE commissioner iterated that Pritchard was “not doing anything wrong.”

     

    Meanwhile, the Florida State Seminoles’ head coach, Mike Norvell was a source of support to Ethan Pritchard as well as the rest of the team during the young linebacker's time in the hospital.

    According to Tallahassee Democrat, Norvell said,

    “It’s a lot, not going to say it's not. I try to give the players a daily update. I talked to Ethan's dad this morning. I'm trying to check on him, check on Ethan.”

    Norvell also donated to Pritchard’s GoFundMe through his foundation, Keep Climbing Family Foundation, as per Sports Illustrated. The Foundation donated $10,000 to the fundraiser.

    TOPICS: Ethan Pritchard