BOSTON (AP) - David Ortiz has been flown to Boston as the former Red Sox slugger continues his recovery after being shot by an attacker outside a bar in his native Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Before departure, an Ortiz spokesman said the 43-year-old athlete was in stable condition after doctors removed his gallbladder and part of his intestine. He said Ortiz’s liver was also damaged in the shooting.

Dominican National Police Director Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte says Ortiz was at the Dial Bar and Lounge in Santo Domingo around 8:50 p.m. Sunday when he was ambushed by a gunman who approached from behind and shot him at close range. He says the alleged gunman was captured and beaten by a crowd of people at the bar. He says police are waiting until the man undergoes treatment before questioning him.

Ortiz is one of the most beloved figures in sports history in the Dominican Republic and Boston, a fearsome power hitter with a ready smile. He led the Red Sox to three World Series championships, was a 10-time All-Star and hit 541 home runs.